PEESONAL EXPERIENCES 



IN THE 



Wm at tilt ^xui %tM\\m, 



DECEMBER, 1862, TO JULY, 1865. 



1/ 
F. W. MORSE, 

BREVET MAJOR AND AIDE DE CAMP. 




ALBANY, N. Y. : 

PRINTED, BUT NOT PUBLISHED. 
LS66. 



7 



MUNSELL, PRINTER, 
ALBANY. 






PREFACE 



The following retrospect of my military career 
was written and printed, but not published, at 
the solicitation of and exclusively for my imme- 
diate family, and not even for my friends. It is 
not intended for any circulation whatever, and 
therefore I have the right to claim, and do claim, 
that it is not amenable to the criticism of any 
other person, who may happen to see it. It is 
a simple unstudied narrative, without pretense 
to style or literary merit of any sort, and does 
not profess to describe the campaigns and battles 
in which I was engaged, but only to give an im- 
perfect account of some things which I saw and 
did, as they now occur to my memory. The only 
aid which I have had has been a meagre diary of 
events which I kept during some of the cam- 
paigns. I am conscious that almost any one of 
the thousands of young officers who took part 



iv Preface. 

in these stupendous events, could write a better 

picture of them than I have written, and that the 

only excuse which I can make for writing and 

printing this, is the one which I have given, that 

it is exclusively for the private and indulgent 

perusal of my own family. They will place some 

value on it, as it will be a record to show in after 

years, that they were represented to some 

extent, though by a boy of only eighteen years 

of age, in the great work, so dear to them all, 

of saving their country from ruin. 

FrancIsS W. Morse. 
Cherry Valley, July, 1866. 



PERSONAL EXPERIENCES 



WAR OF THE GREAT REBELLION. 



Commissioned and Started for the Seat of War. 

On the 15tli of December, 1862, His Excellency 
Governor Morgan of 'New York commissioned me 
1st Lieutenant in the 121st N. Y. Infantry. Accom- 
panying the commission were orders from the 
adjutant general of the state, to report for duty 
at the head quarters of my regiment serving in the 
army of the Potomac. I went home the next day, 
and by the 22d of the month was en route from New 
York to Washington, and arrived there on the 
morning of the 23d, Sunday. 

At this time the order requiring all officers to 
procure passes before going to the front was in 
force, and I was thereby detained until the day 
after my arrival, at v/hich time upon application at 
the provost marshal's office, a very pompous little 
lieutenant handed me the necessary paper to carry 



6 Personal Experiences in the 

me to the army on the following day. In the eve- 
ning, through the carelessness of the porter at my 
hotel, my baggage, containing all my munitions of 
war, was mistaken for that of a demure minister, and 
taken to where his had been ordered. The error 
was not rectified until the day after — too late for 
me to use the permit which I had received. Where- 
upon I reported the facts to the provost marshal, 
and he, considering my reason for remaining over 
satisfactory, renewed the pass for the next day, 
making the suggestion that that day would be the 
proper time for me to leave Washington. The hint 
was not needed, for I was anxious to join my com- 
mand. Every thing being ready, I went to the boat 
on Wednesday morning, and sailed down the 
Potomac in the rotten transport. 

The army was encamped at Fredericksburg, Va., 
and the means of communication with Washington 
were by boat to Aquia creek, and thence by rail to 
Falmouth, the army base of supplies. On land- 
ing at Aquia creek, I found to my dismay that my 
baggage had been left on the dock at Washington. 
I afterwards recovered a small portion of it. There 
was one consolation in the loss — I had less to attend 
to, and before reaching the regiment I had all I 
could do to attend to myself. The afternoon train 
composed of box cars, was about to start. I climbed 



War of the Grex\t Rebellion. 7 

into one and seated myself on a bale of hay, when 
the train moved at a rate that a tired column of 
infantry would laugh at, and after two and a half 
hours, spent in going fifteen miles, stopped at Fal- 
mouth. 

Arrived at Falmouth. 
As I stepped off the train I was ignorant which 
way to turn, and after turning which way to go to 
find my regiment. However, as there was no time 
to lose, I took up my sword, the only article of my 
wardrobe left, and went to the nearest body of 
troops in sight. An otficer told me that the 121st 
was in the left grand division, lying about seven 
miles to the left, pointing with his arm in a bent 
position, leaving it to my option to look in an east- 
erly, westerly or southerly direction. Thanking 
him, I started on to find some one who could give 
me more definite directions, and at last was told by 
an intelligent chasseur that the 121st was at White 
Oak Church. By this time darkness had fallen, 
and a few drops of rain were coming down. I was 
four miles from my destination. I walked on till 
eight o'clock, when wet through and exhausted, I 
determined to find shelter some where for the night, 
and resume my march in the morning. Seeing a 
row of large tents a little to the left, I went there, 
and was received by a captain with the true hospi- 



8 Personal Experiences in the 

tality which characterizes the Stafl' corps. lie in- 
vited me to share his tent and bed with him. I was 
at the head quarters of General Newton, command- 
ing the 3d division, 6th corps. This was Christmas 
eve, but I was so tired that I knew nothing except 
my whereabouts, and soon forgot even that in sleep. 
On the following morning Captain Ulsoeffer pre- 
sented me to General Newton and staff. The 
breakfast to which we soon sat down presented a 
curious contrast to the one I had had the day before 
at Willard's hotel, and gave me my first introduction 
to hard tack. 

Arrived at the Regiment. 

After breakfast. Captain TJlsoefl:er provided me 
with a horse and orderly, and bidding good morn- 
ing to the general and staff, I galloped over to the 
121st, and immediately went to the tent of the com- 
manding officer. Colonel Emory Upton, and reported 
myself ready for duty. He received me with mili- 
tary courtesy, and assigned me to a company of my 
choice, as second officer. 

I was now fairly settled and had time to consider 
the situation. It was dubious. No clothes, cold 
weather, miserable tent, and little to eat. The 
romance of a soldier's life vanished. 



War of the Great Rebellion. 9 

A Scare. 

The day after my arrival, my company, with seve- 
ral others, was ordered to the picket line to relieve 
the old guards. As we commenced moving, the 
rain began to fall, and when we reached the lines I 
thought we were a woe-begone party to look at. 
The old pickets marched off, and we took their posi- 
tion. The rain ceased, and was followed by a cold 
wind. Our line extended to the Rappahannock 
river opposite Fredericksburg. 

At twelve o'clock at night, a dragoon came on the 
full gallop down the road where I was with my 
pickets, with the intelligence that the enemy were 
attempting to lay a pontoon bridge across the river at 
the city, and that he had dispatches to that effect to 
General Wheaton, general officer of the division. I 
doubled the pickets immediately, and was returning 
to my post, my mind filled with rebels, pontoons and 
cannon, when General Wheaton with an aid dashed 
up, and inquiring the way to the river, rode on. 
In a few minutes another staff' officer came up and 
told me the cause of the alarm. A negro fishing 
for clams dropped a tub in the river, and the noise 
had made all this disturbance. 

Every thing being quieted I laid down to rest. 
This was ray first night out. With December winds 



10 Personal Experiences in the 

and rain, my position was any thing than comforta- 
ble, and in my ignorance of hardships, I thought I 
could not be in a worse and sadder plight. I lay 
under some wet pine boughs, thinking of my expe- 
rience so far, until I fell asleep. At day-break the 
reveille aroused me. The morning was beautiful; in 
the distance could be heard the faint notes of the rebel 
bands playing the air of Dixie, and the rebel pick- 
ets loafing in the most comfortable manner under 
the magnificent trees of the south bank of the 
river. They were the first "Grey Backs" I had 
seen. I wondered if such looking vagabonds could 
fight; but the wonder did not last long in that direc- 
tion. In the afternoon our pickets were relieved, 
and we, in our turn, returned to camp. 

Appointed Adjutant. 

Late in that afternoon an orderly brought me 
the " Compliments of Colonel Upton, with the 
request that I would call at his tent." A little 
startled, I put on ray sabre and obeyed the order. 
On entering the colonel's tent, I was greeted with 
the laconic sentence, " Mr. Morse, I wish you to act 
as adjutant at parade this evening." If I had had 
more independence I would have requested to be 
excused, but, as it was, a simple "Yes sir," was my 
only response, and leaving his tent I went back to 



War of the Great Rebellion. 11 

mine, not at all relishing the idea of appearing before 
eight hundred men as a sort of model to be gazed 
at and criticised, as it seemed to me. However, 
there was no help for it, and so at six o'clock I 
paraded out, looking all right I suppose, but feel- 
ing very much demoralized. The line was formed, 
and I commenced operations, and conducted the 
parade in such a manner, that after it was over the 
colonel said to me that he would send to the Go- 
vernor, that evening, a recommendation for me to be 
appointed to the vacant adjutancy. The promotion 
was unexpected, and, coming so soon, and after but 
one trial, was far beyond my hopes. I felt much 
complimented, as any boy of eighteen years might 
feel, to be selected out of the thirty-four officers, 
every one older than I, and of greater experience, for 
this agreeable and important post. 

Dismissed the Service, 
With these pleasant feelings I returned to my tent 
to write home. I found a number of orders from 
the Secretary of War, and among them one to the 
eflect that : 

''First Lieutenant Francis W. Morse of 121st N". 
Y. V. was dismissed from the service of the United 
States for being in the city of Washington without 
proper authority." 

By order of the Secretary of War. 



12 Personal Experiences in the 

My prospects for military glory seemed waning. 
It was my duty as adjutant to read this order 
to the regiment. I was astonished and indig- 
nant, regarding the order as utterly unjust and 
insulting. On my stating to Col. Upton the facts 
out of which it grew, he wrote to the Secretary of 
War, a letter, of which the following is a copy : 

Head Quarters, 121st Regt. N. Y. Vols., } 

January 12, 1863. j 

Brig. Gen. Lorenzo Thomas, Adjutant General U. S. A. 

Sir : I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt 
of special orders, ^No 5, War Department, January 
5th, dismissing First Lieutenant Francis W. Morse 
of this regiment, "for being in the city of Wash- 
ington without proper authority." Believing the 
Department to have been misinformed in his case, I 
beg leave to present the following statement: 

Lieutenant Morse was commissioned by His 
Excellency Governor Morgan, December 15th, 1862. 
He arrived in Washington on his way to report for 
duty, Sunday morning, December 21st. The Pro- 
vost Marshal's otfice not being opened on that day, 
nor on the next day till nine a. m. (an hour after the 
boat left), he was unable to proceed, for want of a 
pass, till Tuesday. Tuesday morning, when about to 
leave for the boat, he found, that through a mistake 
at his hotel his baggage had been sent to the Balti- 
more depot. He was unable to procure it before 
the boat left, and was thus unavoidably detained 
till another day. He immediately got his pass 



War of the Great Rebellion. 13 

renewed, and left Washington Wednesday, Decem- 
ber 24th, and reported to me for duty. Lieutenant 
Morse was a very promising and efficient officer, 
one the service could ill afibrd to lose, and consider- 
ing that he was not on duty, and that he used due 
diligence in rei:)airing to his post, from which he 
has not been absent for a moment, I trust, so 
much of the order as dismisses him may be revoked, 
and that he may be returned to duty. 

I am Sir, very respectfully, 

Your obedient servant. 
Emory Upton, 
Col. commanding 121st N. Y. Vols. 

This letter was endorsed by Generals Bartlett, 
Brooks, Sedgwick and Franklin, and armed with 
it, I started for Washington, to demand justice. 

Restored. 

Through the kindness of General Turner, Judge 
Advocate of the War Department, the matter was 
immediately brought before the Secretary of War. 
The Secretary on learning the facts, atonce reinstated 
me and gave me orders to resume my duty with the 
regiment. 

Upon the restoration of my commission, my first 
impulse was to find the little lieutenaut who falsely 
reported me, and give him an opportunity to try 
some passes other than those used in the war 



14 Personal Experiences in the 

department. But I had grown cautious and thought 
Washington a dangerous place for commissions. 
After replenishing my wardrobe, I left Washington 
with a light heart, and sailed down the Potomac 
with the feelings of a veteran, thinking that this 
time I was not the raw recruit in search of a regi- 
ment. But my self congratulations were prema- 
ture. 

Burnside's Move in the Mud. 

On reaching Falmouth, about five p. m., I looked 
where the army was, and, like the Irishman's flea, 
it was not there. I saw the end of an immense 
army train disappearing on a distant hill, and was 
told that the whole army had moved at day-break 
on that day, and it was, of course, at that late hour 
in the afternoon, many miles away. 

Nothing could be learned at the depot of the 
destination of the troops, and so, about six o'clock 
I started on foot to overtake the train. I wanted 
to be in at the expected battle. The rain fell in 
torrents, and as I stepped along in the mud, with 
the water running down my back, hungry, tired 
and disgusted, I am afraid my wishes were rather 
unchristian regarding the little lieutenant, who was 
the cause of all my trouble. I walked about five 
miles, and came up to the ammunition trains of 



War of the Great Eebellion. 15 

General Franklin. It was dark and raining pow- 
erfully. I could not stop, as I thought there would 
be a battle before morning. I continued walking and 
inquiring, but nobody knew any thing of Brooks's 
division. Brigadiers were asking where their bri- 
gades were, and major generals looking for their own 
head quarters. All mixed up. I kept on walking 
till about nine or ten o'clock wet through, till I 
came across the train of the 2d brigade 3d division 
6th corps, and found they were going to General 
Newton's division, and so went on with them. At 
last the roads became so horrible that no farther 
progress could be made, and they stopped in a 
swamp. Every thing was so wet that it was out of 
the question to build a fire, and I had the prospect 
of standing all night in the mud and rain, with 
braying mules and swearing teamsters. 

My disgust was at its height when an officer rode 
up, who proved to be the quartermaster of the train. 
He invited me to eat hard tack, and to make myself 
as comfortable as possible under one of his wagons. 
I ate a cracker, and throwing the cape of my coat 
over my head, laid down in the mud, and as it grew 
warm, fell asleep. 

About four o'clock in the morning orders came 
to move, but as I was fighting then on my own hook 
I did not move till seven — and oh, how stiff and 



16 Personal Experiences in the 

cold I felt then. As the rain had not abated dur- 
ing the night, it was impossible for the train to 
move and I started to find my corps. I had gone 
about two miles when I saw in one pile twenty-tv/o 
dead horses, and for miles around army wagons 
and pontoons stuck in the mud. I saw in one place 
two hundred and seventy-five men and eight mules 
attempting in vain to move one pontoon. 

After searching all day I found my regiment at 
Banks's Ford on the Rappahannock. As I reported 
my return to the Colonel I found him conversing 
with several general and field ofiicers to whom he 
presented me, and complimented me upon my alac- 
rity in overcoming the difficulties in my way. The 
army was mud bound, and already the movement 
was considered a failure. Infantry could not move; 
artillery was stuck all along the roads, and every 
thing was in a complete state of blockade on account 
of the mud. General Burnside, commanding the 
army, made the movement in hopes of regaining 
his military reputation lost at the faulty and bloody 
battle of Fredericksburg on the 15th of Decem- 
ber, 1862; but fortune, through the elements, still 
frowning on him the plan was abandoned, and orders 
issued for the troops to return to their former camps. 
Upton's regiment was in the rear of the corps, 
and as the columns moved, we received orders to 



War of the Great Rebellion. 17 

remain at the river as pickets, during the night. 
I was directed to place two companies in the thicket, 
on the banks of the river, with as little noise as 
possible, as the enemy were on the other side. 
At this place the river was but a few yards in width. 
Every thing was successfully done, and by four a. m. 
we were on the march to join the main columns. 
By five p. M. on the 20th we reached our old camps, 
and resumed the duties of troops in permanent 
quarters. 

BURNSIDE RELIEVED, IIOOKER MADE GrEN. IN ChIEF. 

General Buruside was soon relieved from com- 
mand and General Joseph Hooker assigned to 
the army as commander-in-chief. Immediately 
upon General Hooker's advent, the army was 
divided into corps, divisions and brigades. Three 
divisions were made in each corps, three brigades 
in each division, and three to six regiments in a 
brigade. My regiment was in the 2d brigade. 
General Bartlett, 1st division, General Brooks, 
and 6th corps. Major General Sedgwick com- 
manding. The Avhole corps numbered about 
twenty thousand men. 

Until this time I scarcely had had any opportu- 
nity to become much acquainted with my fellow 
officers, or with the duties of my new position. As 



18 Personal Experiences in the 

Colonel Upton had an extensive acquaintance in the 
army, and generally I accompanied him on his 
rides, but a short time elapsed before I saw many 
familiar faces in each corps, and among the many 
regiments and staffs formed pleasant friendships. 
There is nothing like hardship and privation to 
bring out all the traits of man, good or bad, and 
the army of the Potomac had been sufficiently 
tried, to develop many characters of unselfish- 
ness and true nobility, among whom I made many 
friends. I joined the army during the darkest days 
of the war, immediately after the poorly conducted 
campaign in Maryland, and the terribly bloody and 
wicked battle of Fredericksburg, but the men were 
not disheartened, nor the spirits of the troops 
depressed. General Hooker adopted such firm and 
systematic modes of discipline, that early in the 
winter the troops were in a condition never before 
equaled. The army of the Potomac was composed 
of the 1st, 2d, 3d, 5th, 6th, 11th, and 12th corps, 
each corps having a distinguishing badge. The 
6th corps had the Greek cross. As soon as the 
army was fairly organized, drills, parades and 
reviews were of daily occurrence. Infantry, cav- 
alry and artillery were brought to the highest 
point of drill. Our camp w^as not in a very 
romantic place, nor were my surroundings adapted 



TVar of the Great Rebellion. 19 

to make me very frolicsome, so that iu a quiet 
way I passed my first month under canvas. 

In February I applied for a leave of absence, and 
went home, but remained there only two or three 
days. Though not at all fascinated with the army, 
I had a great desire to be back with my corps, 
taking part in events which were making the 
greatest of military histories. Little did I know 
of the dangers, privations and annoyances I should 
pass through before I again returned home. I was 
promptly back on the day my leave expired, and 
resumed my duties. My experience was not sea- 
soned with any of those episodes which afterwards 
lent so much interest to my military life. Tied 
down to an infantry regiment, I was of no account 
outside of the brigade, and had only hard work, 
hard knocks, and hard tack. As spring ap- 
proached, preparations were made to open the 
campaign of 1863. The army numbered one hun- 
dred and twenty thousand men. We knew the 
coming struggle would be desperate and sanguin- 
ary, for General Lee, commanding the rebel army, 
had about an equal number of men. Ammuni- 
tion, rations, clothing, and equipments of all kinds 
were rapidly accumulating. At length all leaves 
were stopped, and the weather being fair, we looked 
daily for orders to "break camp." 



20 Personal Experiences in the 



Campaign op Ciiancellorsville. 

By the 27th of the month the country was consi- 
dered to be in a sufficiently settled condition to 
warrant the opening of the campaign. General 
Hooker promulgated a patriotic and stirring order, 
accompanying which were orders for the army to 
be in readiness to move. The army was encamped 
on the line of the Kappahannock, and about one 
mile from it, forming a front of nearly eight miles. 
Lee's army was encamped on the south side in a 
manner so as to confront ours at all points. On 
the afternoon of the 27th, the 6th corps broke 
camp, and moved down to the gaps in Stafford 
Heights, half a mile from the river, there to await 
the coming of night, so as to cross the river under 
cover of darkness. The disposition of the several 
corps was as follows : the 2d, 3d, 5th, 11th and 12th, 
were to move up the river eleven miles, and to 
cross at Banks's Ford ; the Gth to cross at the city 
of Fredericksburg at Franklin's crossing, and the 
1st corps to cross one mile below at Seddon's 
crossing. 

As my experience in the battle of Chancellorsville 
did not of course extend out of my own corps, I 
shall only mention its movements. As we were 
in the deep ravines of Stafford Hills, waiting for 



"War of the Great Rebellion. 21 

night to come, a cold drizzling rain fell, and with 
it came a thick fog. At length night approached, 
and while waiting for the pontoons to be brought, 
I had ample time for reflection. Here was the 
same place where five mouths before the corps had 
met with a terrible repulse, trying to do the same 
thing that we were to attempt that night. But 
bitter experience had taught our generals to adopt 
a different mode of attack. On the opposite side 
of the river were the rebel pickets in strong force, 
and necessarilj- we would have to cross in their 
fire. The engineers were very late in bringing up 
the pontoons; it was now two o'clock, and there 
was but little time to lose. "While we were waiting, 
a staft' officer rode up and told us our brigade 
with Russell's, was to cross first, and establish 
a footing on the other side. At three a. m., the 
boats were ready, forty-five men were to go in each 
boat, pull across, and upon reaching the opposite 
bank to spring ashore and charge the enemy's 
works. As we pushed the boats in the river, the 
rebels opened a brisk musketry fire, and a few 
men fell ; but we were in for it and across we went, 
jumped on the shore, and by a vigorous assault 
captured the rebel works and quite a number of 
prisoners. The way was now open, and at day- 
break, the remainder of the corps, after laying 



22 Personal Experiences in the 

down the j)ontoon bridge, crossed and took position 
on our right and left. The heavy guns firing in 
the direction of Banks's Ford, tokl us that the rest 
of the army was meeting with stubborn resistance. 
On the afternoon of the 28th, the 1st corps made 
its crossing below, suffering the loss of a few men. 
So far every thing had admirably succeeded, and 
we had high hopes of a speedy and splendid victory. 

This affair was my first, and a good initiation it 
was ; a kind of a storming party atiair, and as it 
was successful I was very well satisfied for having 
been in it. 

The 28th, 29th and 30th of April, and 2d of May, 
were passed in continual skirmishing to put the 
army in position for the grand battle. In our front 
the force of the enemy was supposed to be inferior 
to ours, but the disastrous rout of the 11th corps, 
on the 2d, enabled General Lee to send from Chan- 
cellorsville a force largely to outnumber us. In the 
evening of the 2d, we knew every thing was pre- 
pared for us to open the battle on the morning fol- 
lowing. 

Battle of Salem Chapel and Chancellorsville. 

At three a. m., Sunday, the 3d of May, 1868, the 
reveille awoke us, the moon was brightly shining, 
and our long lines of battle moved out on the plain to 



War of the Great Rebellion. 23 

await the breaking of day. Batteries and battalions 
were ready. As the sun rose we marched out on 
the beautiful plain of Fredericksburg, in full view 
of the enemy, who were entrenched on Maries Hills 
and all their guns turned on our columns. At 4. 40, 
the artillery opened. Eighty guns vomited out 
their contents, and never shall I forget the astonish- 
ment of my ears as, for the lirst time to them, the 
solid shot, shell and bolts yelled, shrieked and 
plowed about. Men and horses fell, cannons and 
limbers blew up. Still the batteries continued 
their unearthly noise and destruction. At sixo'clock 
we were moved forward three quarters of a mile 
into Deep Run, and there were under cover. Stay- 
ing there but a few minutes we moved to the left 
in support of Heximer's battery, actively engaged 
with a battery of the enemy about twelve hundred 
yards off. The men found protection from the 
rebel shot by lying flat on their faces; but as Colo- 
nel Upton remained mounted, I did also, though 
thinking every shell especially fired at me. The 
artillery was now doing most of the fighting, though 
the infantry was drawing closer to the enemy. At 
eleven o'clock, the light division. General Pratt, 
was ordered to charade the hill. Advancins;' in 
three lines of battle, with colors fljing and guns 
glistening in the sun, they looked splendidly, and 



24 Personal Experiences in the 

in firm unbroken lines stormed the works, rushing 
through clouds of shell and balls. Soon we saw 
the United States flag floating over the most 
diflicult portion of the works, and, with cheers 
from the troops below, we marched through the city 
and out on the Richmond road up to Maries Hill. 
There we found the light division resting on their 
guns and laurels, the most self satisfied set of men 
I ever saw. 

The rebels had retreated four miles, taking a 
strong position at Salem Chapel. At two p. m., we 
made the "noon halt." In our mess hamper were 
bread, ham, and two bottles of champagne. Scarcely 
were we seated, when an aid came to us with orders 
to fall in — putting back the champagne much to 
our grief, we mounted our horses. As we marched 
out on the road and were fairly underway, a twenty 
pound shell whizzed over our heads, taking the 
compliments of a rebel battery to Williston, com- 
manding Battery D, 2nd Artillery. Williston sent 
his regards back in a similar manner, and between 
those two attentive parties, we were in somewhat 
of a predicament. Rapidly our lines moved for- 
ward, halting at the edge of a large wood. Batte- 
ries were put in position. Skirmishing had re- 
opened with vigor. At four p. m., I carried the 
order from General Brooks to General Bartlett, to 



War of the Great Rebellion. 25 

advance his Hue, aud then joined my regiment. I 
had undergone the ordeal of artillery well enough; 
now came the trial of charging infantry. 

The 121st held the centre of the brigade. We 
advanced in the woods, when suddenly a fire of 
thirty-six hundred muskets opened chiefly upon 
our regiment. The whole line to me seemed to 
have been blown away ; my horse was shot through 
the neck, but was not totally disabled. The colors 
shot down, six bearers picked them up, each in his 
turn to die. Our men still pressed on until within 
twenty feet of the rebel redoubts, and then opened 
fire. As we halted, my saddle was struck by a 
ball ; at the same time my horse was killed outright 
by a bullet going through his head, and fell 
instantly. When I struck on the ground I was in 
a sitting position. Upton's horse was killed at the 
same time. We pressed the first line of rebels back 
on the second, and that being the stronger, held its 
ground with great firmness. No mortal could stay 
and live where we were, and the line moved back 
and retreated in confusion. Seeing the colors lying 
on the ground, I picked them up and started for the 
rear, but impeded by them, by my big spurs and 
sabre, I fell down three times, and did not get out of 
the woods till the rebels were close on our heels. 
Meeting General Bartlett in the field, I gave him 



26 Personal Experiences in the 

the colors, and started for the regiment; when 
suddenly my leg, just above the ankle, was struck 
by a ball, and down I fell. The leg immediately 
grew stiff, I could not stand on it, and the pain was 
excruciating. Looking back I saw the rebel lines 
advancing but a few yards oft", and felt their bullets 
whizzing apast. Springing on my left leg, by the 
aid of ray sabre I hobbled to the regiment. The 
men rallied, formed into lines again, and repulsed 
the advancing enemy. As I saw the 121st together 
again, I could scarcely believe my eyes — but a 
handful left. Out of 452 who entered, two hundred 
and ninety were left in the woods, dead, wounded 
and missing. 

We were back in our old position, and the rebels 
in theirs, with the dead and wounded of both sides 
between the lines. My leg was very painful and 
much swollen ; the thickness of my large boot saved 
me from a wound ; as it was, I had suffered a severe 
contusion. Captain Richards, of General Bartlett's 
staff, gave me a horse. The night was passed in a 
continuous roll of artillery and musketry, and on 
Monday the battle was resumed, resulting in great 
loss to the rebels, and we holding our ground. 
Tuesday night. General Sedgwick moved the corps 
up to Chancellorsville, and there joined the 
remainder of the army. 



War of the Great Rebellion. 27 

The entire battle was now considered lost. 
Hooker had not succeeded, and therefore our corps 
could not effectively perform its work. General 
Hooker deemed it advisable to recross the river to 
the north side, and abandon the campaign. On the 
6th, the crossing was commenced, and attended with 
great peril, as the river had risen four feet. The pon- 
toon bridge was in a very dilapidated way, and was 
continually struck by the shells of the enemy. 

At length the army was across in camp, each man 
congratulating himself upon his escape. On the 
morning of the 8th we marched back to our old 
camp, filled with feelings of sadness and amaze- 
ment at the unexpected turn affairs had taken. 
The army was not whipped nor demoralized; 
General Hooker could have recrossed the river, 
and fought another battle with as good chances of 
success as on the 27tli of April. By the 9th, we 
were in our old camp settled. Truly the sight 
was a sad one; a large portion of the tents was 
deserted, the former inmates dead or wounded ; there 
were no loud laughs heard, as each one had a com- 
rade to mourn for. At dress parade when once my 
voice had to be loud and strong, now I scarcely 
needed to speak above a natural tone to be heard 
through the length of the line. Four officers, my 
kindest friends, were dead or wounded. As soon 



28 Personal Experiences in the 

as we were settled we commenced to make out our 
reports of the killed, wounded and missing, and loss 
of property. Letters by hundreds were received 
from friends and relations of the soldiers inquiring 
after the fate of friends. The only answer was lists 
of casualties, which I sent to the papers. Our loss 
was ninety-two killed, one hundred and seventy 
wounded, and thirty missing. The loss in the corps 
was about six thousand, and in the brigade seven- 
teen hundred. 

Summer had come ; peach, pear and apple trees 
were in blossom, and foliage of every descrip- 
tion in full growth. To look across the river at 
the beautifal plains and hills of Fredericksburg, 
one could scarcely believe that such a gigantic battle 
had there been fought, in which thirty thousand 
men had been placed hors de combat, and that 
hundreds of killed were peacefully lying beneath 
those trees that looked so lovely. Amidst drills, 
parades and reviews, we soon forgot the unpleasant 
part of the battle of Chancellorsville — all but the 
11th corps, and that was an object of derision until it 
finally left the army. On the 15th of May, the time 
of six Kew York regiments had expired ; but there 
were men in each whose time of service had not ex- 
pired, and these were transferred to the 121st, 
making up our loss in battle. The usual routine of 



War of the Great Eebellion. 20 

camp life was resumed, and we were anxiously 
waiting to see the further movements of General 
Hooker or General Lee. 

TuiRD Crossing of the Rappahannock. 

On the 2d of June, Howe's 2d Division was 
ordered to cross the river at Franklin's crossing, 
supported by the remainder of the corps. The 
crossing was eft'eeted, as on the former occasions, 
and once more we were on the offensive. About 
midnight on the 3d, our brigade moved out on the 
plain one mile, and in line of battle all the regi- 
ments laid down to sleep. The Vermont brigade 
came up armed only with shovels, and silently 
commenced digging a few yards in our front. 
The forms of the men in relief against the sky, 
seemed phantoms preparing graves for the 2,700 
men there sleeping. With the steady pick pick of 
the spades in my ears I fell asleep, and at day- 
break when the troops stood to arms, we saw to 
onr surprise the most complete line of entrench- 
ments that skillful engineers could make. We 
immediately occupied the works, batteries were 
brought up and put in position, and then we kept 
quiet, waiting for something to happen. During 
all our operations. General Lee had moved a large 
portion of his army northward, leaving but a corps 



80 Personal Experiences in the 

in our front, with orders for it to join liim when we 
withdrew. As soon as General Hooker knew 
General Lee's movement, he started in pursuit, 
leaving the 6th corps as rear guard. 

In the night of the 14th the whole corps was 
withdrawn, and on the day following, with the 6th 
corps commenced 

The Campaign and Battle of GtEttysburg. 

On the 15th of June, the "line of the Rappa- 
hannock" was abandoned, and we commenced 
our march. Just before we left, we mounted a 
100-pounder Parrott that President Lincoln had 
sent to the army. There was one battery of Whit- 
worth's guns still in the rebel works nearly three 
miles off. Our big gun was fired once. The 
immense shell whizzed and whirled through the 
air, until finally we saw its thin white smoke as it 
burst. Immediately after there was a terrible 
explosion, and vast columns of smoke and dust 
were thrown in the air. The shell had struck a 
caisson, and blown it to pieces; the recoil dis- 
mounted our 100-poundcr, and it was sent back 
to Washington to Mr. Lincoln with a history of 
its exploit. 

If my first battle had been one of defeat, and I 
had joined the army at the most gloomy period, I 



War of the Great Rebellion. 31 

was soou to be a participator in a most brilliant 
and desperate battle, and in a victory upon which 
the fiite of the war depended. 

General Lee had a second time invaded Mary- 
land and Pennsylvania. His infantry, cavalry and 
artillery were ahead of ns several days, and there 
was not an obstacle in his front to oppose his march. 
His army had been strongly reinforced ; his troops 
considered themselves invincible, able to kick the 
army of the Potomac from the Potomac to the 
Hudson; while our army with a loss in battle of 
seventeen thousand men, and regiments leaving 
whose time of service had expired, was left in 
somewhat straitened circumstances to commence a 
vigorous campaign. 

General Hooker's dispositions of the army on 
the march were made so that by moving on inte- 
rior lines he could keep even with General Lee, 
and at the same time cover "Washington from any 
attempt that might be made to capture it. The 
exact destination of General Lee was unknown to 
us, and until we saw a 'New York paper, we were 
ignorant of his whereabouts. As we were the 
rear guard of the army, we were very much annoyed 
by the guerillas, who were bold and ugly. Our 
annoyances were frequent, and on the first days of 
the campaign the danger was so great, that any 



32 Personal Experiences in the 

moment a ball might be expected as a messenger 
of promotion to the other world. 

"With the campaign of Gettysburg commenced 
my marching. Night and day we kept it up. 
Occasionally the daily marches were very long; 
twenty to twenty-five miles. The heat and dust 
were intolerable ; the sun aiiected the men so that 
many a poor fellow fell down dead from sunstroke, 
and whole companies would fall out in a state of 
complete exhaustion. I remember the hottest day 
we had, about five thousand men in the corps were 
lying in the woods on account of the heat. I 
thought 1 was as liable as any one to be sunstruck, 
and therefore bound a wet rag around my neck and 
put leaves in my cap, and then discovered that the 
sun was just setting and the air becoming quite 
cool. That night all that the Colonel, Lieutenant 
Colonel and I had to satisfy an appetite made by 
an abstinence from food for twenty-four hours, was 
one can of peaches. About the middle of June, 
we reached the Potomac and crossed on pontoons 
at Edward's ferry. From the red clay lands of 
Virginia, we stepped on the beautiful green fields 
of Maryland. I think as each soldier threw a look 
back at Virginia, there was no blessing in his 
expression. The cavalry had now commenced to 
skirmish with the enemy. Rumors by the thou- 



War of the Great Rebellion. 33 

sands came to us concerning the enemy and our 
forces. The guerillas continued to pay us little 
attentions, and kept us supplied with little adven- 
tures, that served very well to relieve the monotony 
of long dusty marches. 

In the evening of the 30th of June, we reached 
Manchester, Md. Lee's army was in Pennsylvania 
120,000 strong, ours was but 58,000, and partially 
acting on the offensive. Hooker was relieved, and 
of his successor the army knew but little. The 
terrible odds against us, the all important issues at 
stake, known to every man in the army, served 
only to nerve each one to stand up and die fighting. 
One not connected with the army at that time, 
can neither know nor appreciate the sentiments that 
possessed the hearts of the men. The battle of 
Gettysburg demonstrated the fact that the army of 
the Potomac would be annihilated rather than de- 
feated on its own ground. 

At eight p. M., the 1st of July, we resumed the 
march, our division taking the lead. All night 
long without halt, worn out, eyes aching from want 
of sleep, faint from want of nourishment, we 
marched along, but without a murmur, or com- 
plaint. The heat was deathly, dust filled our 
throats ; but still the march was kept up all night, 
with no time to rest, no time to eat, no time for 
5 



34 Personal Experiences in the 

any thing but suffering. The faces of the troops 
were haggard and distorted by fatigue, their feet 
swollen and their shoes in consequence thrown 
away ; but with all this there was a look of determi- 
nation in their eyes which plainly spoke on the two 
days following. Twice during that night I fell oif 
my horse while asleep. At twelve o'clock on the 
morning of the 2d of July, after a march of thirty- 
six miles in eighteen hours, we moved in sight of 
the battle field of Gettysburg, marching to the tune 
of one hundred guns; but not a straggler, nor a 
recreant was in the 6th corps. Each man was there 
with his musket and sixty rounds of cartridges, 
anxious to send his message of defiance to that proud 
army of rebels. 

As we halted in line of battle, we listened to the 
fearful attack of Longstreet on the 5th corps directly 
in our front. Those awful steady rolls of musketry 
made our hearts beat quick, and inspired us with 
anxiety to relieve our comrade corps. At last, 
when the roar of shot and shell, canister and 
musketry had become hideous, an aid-de-camp 
came up on full gallop from army head-quarters, 
with orders for us to engage the enemy. But a few 
hundred yards in front were 30,000 of the best 
troops of the rebel armj^, commanded by their 
ablest general ; with guns firmly clenched our lines 



War of the Great Rebellion. 35 

moved steadily forward, our gallant colonel rode in 
front of oor regiment, and I at his side wondering 
if I would be called for now ; but we had barely got 
under steady fire, when the enemy retreated, leaving 
us in possession of all the ground we wanted, and 
all we could conveniently attend to. Night came; 
we were on "Little round Top" — what we had 
endured during the past two days soon had full 
efi'ect upon us. We dropped where we stood, and 
the men instantly fell in a deep dead sleep. I rolled 
off my horse, and resting my head upon the body of 
Captain Casler was soon forgetful of battles. At 
three A. m. on the 3d, the picket firing was so sharp 
as to awaken me, and then the groans of the 
wounded and dying kept me awake until the whole 
corps were under arms. As I rose from my uncom- 
fortable bed, my bones were sore and fiesh bruised 
by the stones. Around us were the dead of both 
armies, and several hundred yards in our front were 
the frowning lines and batteries of Longstreet. Our 
position was wonderfully favorable. No place could 
have been fitter for artillery, for the inside lines of 
manoeuvering, for reinforcing, for the cover of walls, 
and of natural defenses. During the early morn- 
ing of the 3d, cannonading and musketry firing 
had been continuous. 
About ten a. m. the firing on the east side and 



36 Personal Experiences in the 

every where on our line ceased. A silence fell on 
the battle field. Our army cooked, ate and slum- 
bered. The rebel army moved one hundred and 
twenty guns to the west, and there massed Long- 
street's and Hill's corps to hurl them upon really 
the weakest portion of our lines. At eleven, 
twelve and one o'clock, all was still. Under the 
shade cast by big trees lay Upton, the Major and I, on 
a poncho, wondering what next would happen. I 
turned to Major Mather and remarked we would 
attack, or be attacked before night. Scarcely were 
the words out of my mouth when a Whitworth ball 
hurled over our heads. We sprang up to see whence 
it came, and as we left the poncho a shell just grazed 
it; ten seconds sooner we would have been among 
the unfortunate. 

In less than two minutes the fire of the rebel one 
hundred and twenty guns was directed on the right 
of our line. The air was full of the most complete 
artillery prelude to an infantry battle that was ever 
exhibited. Every size and form of shell known to 
American and British gunnery, screeched, moaned 
and wrathfully flew over the ground. From three to 
six in a second constantly bursting and screaming 
over our line made a perfect hell of fire that amazed 
the old veterans. ISTot a straggler, not an orderly, 
not an ambulance was to be seen on that plain ten 



War of the (treat Rebellion. 37 

minutes after the fire opened. One hundred and 
twenty guns were trying to sweep from the field 
every battery we had in position to resist their 
prepared infantry attack, and to clear away the 
slight defenses behind which our infantry were 
waiting. Forty minutes, fifty minutes were counted 
on watches that ran too slowly. The air grew 
thicker and fuller and more deafening with the 
howling and whirling of these infernal missiles. 
Time slugglishly moved on, and when after an hour 
and a half there was a lull, we knew the rebel 
infantry was to charge. Splendidly they did their 
work. Picket's division in three lines of battle 
came first with guns at "right shoulder shift." 
Longstreet's corps came as supports at the usual 
distance. With war cries and savage yells they 
rushed across the plain in perfect order up to the 
very muzzles of our guns, which tore lanes through 
them as they came, and they met men who Avere 
their equals in spirit and superiors in strength. 
The rebels were over our works; they had cleaned 
cannoniers and horses from one of our batteries, and 
were turning it upon us as the bayonet drove them 
back. From the exhaustion of their ammunition 
every battery of ours on the east was relieved 
except Cowan's of New York. His service of 
grape and canister was awful ; it enabled our line, 



38 Personal Experiences in the 

outnumbered two to one, first to beat back Long- 
street, charge upon him and take many prisoners. 
So terrible was our artillery and musketry fire, 
that Armstead's brigade was checked in its charge, 
and stood reeling ; all his men dropped their 
muskets and crawled on their hands and knees 
under this stream of fire, and on making signs of 
surrendering were permitted to come into our lines. 
They passed by us scarcely noticed, and went down 
the road to the rear. 

The grand charge of Ewell, solemnly sworn to 
and carefully prepared, had failed. The rebels 
returned to their former lines and opened anew 
the storm of shot and shell from their one hundred 
and twenty guns. Those who were there will 
never forget the dodging and running of the Butter- 
nuts when they were under their friend's fire. 
Again did that terrible tempest of iron hurl itself 
upon us ; our batteries replied with equal fury ; and 
the air again was fall of fragments of iron. 
During this period some of our batteries, whose 
ammunition was exhausted, retired, and this was 
thought by General Lee, to be the most favorable 
time again to advance his columns. The rebels saw 
the batteries withdrawn, but did not see the reserve 
artillery taking the vacated places. In three lines 
of battle the enemy charged for a second time to 



War of the Great Rebellion. 39 

break our lines ; but the anuihilatiupj fire of our 
fresh batteries, and counter charge of our infantry, 
completely destroyed the assaulting columns. 

At four p. M. the fire of the enemy had ceased, 
and we were the victors — having gained the battle 
under the most adverse and trying circumstances. 
The experience of the tried and veteran soldiers of 
the army of the Potomac tells of no such desperate 
conflict as was in progress in the third of July, 
1863. The cannonading of Chancellorsville and 
Malvern was mere pastime compared to that of this 
day. The ground was thick with rebel dead mingled 
with our own. Thousands of prisoners were taken ; 
twenty-eight thousand stands of small arms together 
with a quantity of artillery fell into our hands. 
General Lee's aggregate losses were nearly forty 
thousand men during the campaign, and General 
Meade's total loss killed, wounded and missing was 
twenty-three thousand. Immediately, upon Lee's 
terrible and final repulse in the afternoon of the 
3d, he commenced his retreat. 

Pursuit of General Lee. 
At four A. M. on the 4th, the 6th corps was made 
the advance, and ordered to give the rebels a vigor- 
ous pursuit. As we advanced we marched over 
hundreds of dead bodies of our late enemies, 



40 Personal Experiences in the 

scarcely buried. Dismounted cannons, broken 
down ambulances and straggling rebels plainly 
showed the line of retreat. The trees and fences 
for miles in rear were cut up by musket and cannon 
balls. All along the rebels had tilled the immense 
Pennsylvania barns with their wounded, and large 
encampments of rebel hospital tents were in the 
fields, and thus all the severely wounded of the 
rebel army were left to our tender mercies — General 
Lee being well aware that we did not act toward 
our enemy in the barbarous way the high minded 
sons of the south did to theirs. 

In the afternoon of the 4th our advance struck 
the skirmishers of the rebel rear guard, our batteries 
were formed in line of battle, and w^e moved for- 
ward under a raking shell tire, pressed back their 
advanced line upon the reserves, and then drove 
the whole force into the gaps of the mountains at 
Fairfield, five miles from Gettysburgh, and here we 
went into camp for the night. 

Before day-break on the morning of the 5th 
General Sedgwick sent Colonel Kent of his staft" 
with a squadron of cavalry to our regiment, with 
orders for us to accompany Kent out on the Fairfield 
road on a reconnoissance. Our lines were deployed, 
and advanced at a brisk rate. About 9 a. m. we 
came in sight of a rebel line of battle and attacked 



War of the Great Rebellion. 41 

them. I was with the froDt of the line that rested 
on the crest of a small hill. The balls flew around, 
over and under me, keeping me winking, dodging 
and squirming for full an hour. I w^as a good mark 
for the enemy, being the only officer mounted in 
that part of the line. At length the left of the 
line was attacked by the rebels with great spirit. 
I rapidly rode there and found Colonel Upton ; he 
told me to ride to General Sedgw^ick and tell him 
the situation according to my knowledge of aflairs. 
I found the general sitting on a stump, his staff seated 
about him, and recounted to him all that had trans- 
pired. When I finished, he very quietly asked me, 
how I knew any thing about it as my regiment 
was not in the party. I answered, it was, and that 
accounted for my information. Turning to Colonel 
Kent the general said, it was the 119th Pennsylvania 
ordered out, and not the 121st New York. Kent's 
confusion w^as great, and my indignation greater, to 
think my precious life had been exposed by mistake 
all the morning, when some Pennsylvania adjutant 
might as well have been in the same place ; and from 
the way the natives of the Key Stone State had 
treated us, the life of one of them had but little 
value in our eyes. By the time I returned to our 
line, it had ceased firing and was resting; the enemy 
had retired in confusion, and our object was gained. 
6 



42 Personal Experiences in the 

111 the morning of the 6th, the whole corps was 
in motion, moving forward ten miles, when we came 
in sight of the entire rebel wagon train. We 
advanced in one line of battle, batteries advancing 
in our intervals by battery. At length our bat- 
teries opened fire with solid shot from a hill 
nearly fourteen hundred yards from the rebels. 
We soon saw the Gray Backs skipping and jumping 
about to get aw^ay from this fire. Every moment we 
expected the order to charge, but it did not come, 
and from that day to this I cannot imagine why 
eight or ten thousand men were not ordered to the 
attack. We would have captured trains and 
cannon, beside recovering hundreds of our men 
taken prisoners. 

Gradually Lee gained upon us in his retreat. For 
ten days the 6th corps did not come in contact 
with the rebel rear guard, and until nearly the 
middle of July there was but little done but 
marching. Lee had reached the Potomac at Wil- 
liamsport, and the river was so much swollen by the 
rain that he could not ford it, and for the want of 
pontoons, he was forced to entrench himself until 
he could construct bridges in sufficient numbers 
to cross large bodies of men at once. 

At this point the i21st was actively engaged in 
the same manner as at Fairfield. My good fortune 



War of the Great Eebellion. 43 

still kept with me, and from that affair I escaped 
uutouched. Through his timidity, or from some 
other unknown reason. General Meade did not make 
an attack on the enemy at this place, which, if it had 
been done, would probably have resulted in the 
rout of Lee's army, or for a time placed it hors de 
combat. General Lee put his army in safety across 
the river, and resumed his retreat. The 6th corps 
moved down the river, and crossed at Berlin, six miles 
below Harper's Ferry, again meeting the rebels at 
Funkstown, and after considerable skirmishing, suc- 
ceeded in driving them entirely out of our reach. 
After the 25th of July the army was not engaged 
with the exception of the cavalry, to anv extent. 
Lee effected his retreat without suffering any further 
losses, and made his encampments on the south 
side of the Rapidan ; the 6th corps encamping in 
and around Warrenton. 

Camp in SuiMmer. 
Six miles from AVui'renton is a little place 
called New Baltimore, where our brigade was 
encamped as kind of a flank guard for the army. 
ISTow came our recompense for the two previous 
months of toil and clanger. In the month of 
August, camped on fine land with all the fruit 
growing around we could wish for, in quick com- 



44 Personal Experiences in the 

munication with Washington, and paymasters 
regular in their visits, we were perfectly contented. 
Drills, reviews and parades were resumed, and as 
Chancellorsville had been, so Gettysburg was in its 
turn soon forgotten in anticipating coming events. 
Again the dull camp life became wearisome. The 
first episode was an execution, the first I ever had 
seen. I went partially out of curiosity and partly 
because I was obliged to go. The prisoner was 
seated on his cofiin in a wagon ; the division 
formed in three sides of a square ; the wagon con- 
taining the condemned was drawn around the inside 
of the square, a dirge being played ; at length the 
wagon halted at the open side ; the cofliu was placed 
on the ground, and the prisoner blind-folded was 
seated upon it. At the signal from the provost 
marshal ten balls pierced the unhappy man's 
breast ; he was then laid on his back, and a quick 
time march pla3'ed while the entire division 
marched past the corpse in review. 

Guerillas. 

About the middle of the month I was afilicted 
in the same way that the damsel in Pilgrbii's Pro- 
gress was, that is, " I ate too much fruit," and at 
one time thought the fruit would be too much for 
me. One night before I was able to sit up, I was 



"War of the Great Rebellion. 45 

lying in my tent thinking of things in general, 
when suddenly pop went a pistol, and instantly 
thirty more spit out their wicked noise. Speedily 
the whole brigade was out. The firing was in the 
direction of General Bartlett's head quarters. 
The men rushed up to the general's in their night 
uniform, with muskets in their hands. We had 
been attacked by a company of guerillas, but the 
rascals were driven off with a loss on our side of 
two, and in the words of the newspaper correspond- 
ent, "that of the enemy's must have been much 
greater." 

An Expedition of 121st. 

On the 25th of the month a little expedition was 
proposed, viz : to divide the regiment in two bat- 
talions ; one commanded by the colonel, the other 
by the lieutenant colonel; to take separate roads, 
and go out in the country for provisions (though 
at the time we had more than the men could eat), 
and for guerillas, and of course any thing else 
that might turn up. Early on the 26th, in light 
marching order, three hundi-ed men in each division 
commenced their march. I went with the detach- 
ment under the lieutenant colonel. At two o'clock 
on the morning of the 27th, we reached the 
town of Salem, a place of six hundred inhabitants. 



46 Personal Experiences in the 

Immediately we put a liue of pickets around the 
town ; with one company, I went to the upper 
part of the town, and there waited until day-break 
to commence operations. At day-light, I moved 
in one end of the fated place and the lieutenant 
colonel in the other. At the right of us, the poor 
people were terror-stricken and tried to escape ; 
but that line of pickets made the town a cage, and 
nothing could be done but quietly submit. Until 
we were fairly at their doors, the people did not 
know there was a Yankee within forty miles of 
them; but we had arrived, and struck terror to 
their hearts. The town was divided into sections, 
and one assigned to the especial care of each officer 
for him to inspect for arms, provisions, &c. We 
knew well enough that the people were just as 
innocent of having arms, as we were of having 
consciences, and not much time was lost before we 
found that provisions were not so plentiful as they 
might have been. However, after I had examined 
one lady's house, frightened her daughter, who was 
in bed, most out of her wits, I said I would be 
happy to breakfast with her, and hoped I would see 
her family in a dress not quite so regardless of 
appearances as I left them in. 

Things went on very pleasantly, and I think wo 
would have gained the affections of the whole 



War of the Great Rebellion. 47 

community by our little attentions, if we had not 
arrested and carried oft* all the fathers, sons and 
lovers. At 4 p. m., we left the town, without spoils, 
except men. As we marched up the main street 
my risibles were sorely tested ; in our midst was a 
procession baffling description, negroes performing 
all kinds of delightful evolutions, the sullen, long 
haired Virginian looking ugly, and an old minister 
trying to resign himself to his fate. Though we 
laughed to our heart's content, they could not see 
where the laugh came in. With the tramp of 
a magnanimous and victorious foe we moved 
gradually out of town, and halted two miles from 
it. I thought I would like to say a few words to 
the minister; he told me it was Sunday (the first 
I knew of it), and also that he was to preach that 
morning. After a few minutes talk with him I 
thought the people of Salem should bless us for 
relieving them of such an old pest. 

At sunset the march was continued and kept up 
until two o'clock in the afternoon of the day follow- 
ing, when we reached the truly magnificent 
estate of John A. Washington. We stayed there 
long enough to dine, and thinking the United 
States wanted a few more horses, we took all there 
were on the place and moved on. At one a. m., on 
the next day, or rather night, we reached our old 



48 Personal Experiences in the 

camp, with prisoners and horses, in safety ; the 
horses were turned into the quartermaster's de- 
partment, and the prisoners allowed to return 
home, we thinking a little walk of thirty-eight 
miles would improve their dispositions. The 
negroes would not return, but stayed with us. We 
had a great deal of fun, and I have no doubt that 
the people of Salem to this day remember the 
invasion of August, 1863. 

Marching. 

Until the 12th of September nothing of conse- 
quence occurred. On the 12th, orders suddenly 
came for the brigade to withdraw its pickets and 
move to Warrenton. The corps had already left 
Warrenton ; our brigade was the rear guard, and 
the 121st in the rear of all. "We entered Warren- 
ton at 11 p. M. This town was deserted by troops ; 
every house and street looked desolate. We 
moved through the city, and encamped in the 
suburbs on the Fayetteville road. While the corps 
was in Warrenton nearly every young lady had 
lost her heart to some officer, and the movement 
being so sudden the young sons of Mars did not 
have time to say good-bye. So at day-break all 
the young F. F. V's came to us. I was riding 
through the streets with some orders, when I was 



"War of the Great Rebellion. 49 

assailed with questions: Do you know Major — or 
Captain — or Colonel so and so? I said yes to every 
thing, and was made the bearer of messages 
that never got to the intended recipient. Well 
might some of the 6th corps men say, "Ifthisiswar 
may there never be peace." The morning of the 
13th we moved down to the Rapidan and relieved 
the 2d corps. While on the bank of that river I 
was a witness to a second execution ; seeing any- 
thing of the kind once ought to be sufficient for 
any one. General Lee now made some new demon- 
strations towards Washington, which rendered 
General Meade uneasy on that city's account, and 
he immediately commenced a retrograde march: 
day and night we marched in that cool season of 
the year, October ; the suifering from cold in the 
nights, from hunger and fatigue, was too much for 
me now to realize. From the Rapidan to Center- 
yille heights was one forced march. Warren's 2d 
corps met the enemy at Bristol station, and 
captured live gans, and two hundred and fifty 
prisoners. That was the only fighting the infantry 
had, and with the exception of Kilpatrick's cavalry 
operations, was all the powder burnt on this 
stampedy march. While on Centerville heights 
just in the act of sitting down to a hot good dinner 
some of '•'■Lee's Miserahles" opened a heavy 
7 



50 Personal Experiences in the 

cannonade at Bull Run, and General Meade fearing 
trouble at Chantilly, sent us down there post haste, 
leaving our inner man in a somewhat demoralized 
condition. We reached Chantilly, made entrench- 
ments, put batteries in position, felled acres of 
woods in our front, stood to arms all the time, and 
I do not believe, and did not then, that there was 
a rebel soldier within twenty miles of us. After 
staying there three days we returned to Centerville 
through Bull Run, and went down the Gainsville 
road to 'New Baltimore. 

At New Baltimore we met the infantry of General 
Ewell's rearguard, and wasted enough ammunition 
on them to enable the Fenians to take Canada, 
and then permitted them peacefully to retire to the 
south side of the Rappahannock river. We reached 
Warrenton on the 24th day of October, having been 
on a campaign of over five weeks, and made a circle 
of two hundred miles, or in other words, completed 
the " grand rounds." The corps moved two miles 
from Warrenton, pitched tents, and resumed drills 
and evei-y thing else incidental to camp life. By 
this time the evenings were long, and with nothing 
to do, we were at our wits' end for amusement. 
While there are cards, whisky and wines in an army 
they will be the ruling pleasures. My dislike to 
cards had a good trial, and not being copper-lined 



War of the Great Rebellion. 51 

I could uot clriuk commissary whisky, so that I had 
an idle, tedious time till it was interrupted by the 
glorious achievement which I have now the pleasure 
to record. 

Battle of IlAPPAnANNocK Station. Promotion. 

On the night of the sixth of Il^ovember, I was at 
the Gth corps headquarters, to get a leave of absence 
for a friend, and learned that the army would move 
on the day following at day-break. While there, 
the order came to move, and among other orders 
was one relieving General Bartlett from command 
of the brigade, and assigning it to Colonel Upton. 
I requested the privilege of taking the order down 
to Upton, and did so, telling him the good and 
unexpected news. I knew that I would be his aid, 
and accordingly made arrangements to enter on my 
new position. The regiment was turned over to 
the command of Major Mather, and we left to per- 
form new duties, my part of which were more 
pleasant than those of an infantry adjutant. 

At day-break on the morning of the seventh of 
JSTovember, we commenced our march towards the 
Rappahannock, and about noon heard rapid and 
heavy firing on our left and front ; in the afternoon 
it ceased and all was quiet again. At four p. m., we 
came in sight of the river, and halted in a large 



52 Personal Experiences in the 

wood one and a half miles from the river, and rested 
in line of battle. By five p. m., the whole corps 
was concentrated. The rebels were on our side of 
the river in powerful force, fortified by massive 
redoubts and earth works. Portions of the 121st 
iN'ew York and 96th Pennsylvania, were detailed as 
skirmishers under Captain Fish of the" 121st. The 
rebel skirmishers were along the crest of a long 
hill, the approach to which from our side was an 
open one ; not a stone nor tree in the way, and the 
ground as even as a floor. As our line emerged 
from the woods, the rebels rose up and stood ready 
to receive us. I sat on my horse on a little knoll, 
with Colonel Upton, Generals Torbert and Terry 
and stafi's, all of us watching the skirmishers ; I 
especially, for as soon as the fire opened I was to 
ride rapidly back and conduct the brigade up to 
the place where we then were. Gradually our line 
approached the rebels; not a shot was fired; 
every moment to me seemed hours. ISTearer and 
nearer our men advanced ; still all was quiet, till 
at last when our line was in a few yards of them, 
the enemy opened fire. I waited long enough to 
see our men dash up the hill and disappear in 
the pursuit of rebels, and then started for the 
brigade, and in a few minutes was on my return 
to the front, the brigade following. We now 



War of the Great Rebellion. 53 

discovered that the rebel works were very strong, 
and commanded the plain. 

General Russel commanding the fighting men on 
the field determined to assault. He doubled the 
skirmish line by deploying the 5th Wisconsin and 
the 6th Maine. Those two regiments then made a 
most gallant charge and captured two redoubts on 
the right of the enemy's line, and four cannon 
in position. The 49th New- York and the 119th 
Pennsylvania were then moved up to their support, 
encountering a severe musketry fire from the 
enemy, posted behind a line of rifle pits, extending 
to the left of these redoubts. The reo-iments 
succeeded in holding the captured works. Colonel 
Upton, with the 121st New York and 5th Maine, 
was then ordered to charge and capture these pits. 
The skirmishers in the mean time had kept up an 
incessant fire; artillery had been brought into 
action, and the engagement become general. About 
half an hour before sunset the artillery ceased 
firing and the musketry snbsided a little. 

Just as the sun was sinking, the lines of the 121st 
New York and 5th Maine moved forward. Upton 
and I rode in their front one hundred yards. As v/e 
were fairly in the open field he said to me, " In 
less than a minute all this artillery will open on 
us." At that instant a shell came whirling through 



54 Personal Experiences in the 

the air, whose bright red fuse seemed pointed 
exactly for us ; but it struck a short distance in our 
front and bounded over our heads into the midst of 
a band of musicians, instantly dispersing that gallant 
body of men. In a moment the air was full of 
these spiteful projectiles. Within two hundred 
yards of their works we halted under cover of a 
small hill, to form our charging columns. I was 
standing by my horse, writing an order on the saddle, 
when a shell from a battery not before known, 
burst near me. At first I thought I was struck, 
but, turning around, saw that the man waiting by 
my side whom I was to send with the order, was 
torn to pieces, his shoulder dissevered from his 
body. Thankful for my escape, I mounted and 
carried the order myself We were readj to 
charge. Unslinging knapsacks, at Upton's com- 
mand ''charge," we dashed up the threatening line 
of works regardless of the storm of balls that 
passed through us, pressed on, and were soon at 
the top, and then in possession. It was quite dark, 
and the enem}- could not see the smallness of our 
numbers. At this point, when our regiments had 
changed their front, and were about to dash on the 
rebel line in its fiank and rear, Upton, in a vjice 
loud enough to be heard by the enemy, cried, " The 
first line will lie down when fired on, as there are 



War or the Great Rebellion. 55 

three others to support them." In fact we had but 
one line of battle ; but the enemy hearing this, and 
thinking themselves outnumbered and overpowered 
when we made a vigorous charge on them, sur- 
rendered at discretion, and thereupon, with bayonet 
alone, our five hundred and eighty men captured 
fifteen hundred infantry and six colors. The rebels 
quietly submitted to their fate, but few escaped, 
and they mostly by swimming the river. One 
hungry or provident chap ran across the bridge, 
and just as he reached the other side, stopped and 
looked back in doubt and misery, and slapping his 

leg, exclaimed "thereby I've left my flour;" 

but he soon concluded to starve in Dixie and ran on. 
We captured every thing, men, guns, colors and 
camp and garrison equipage, with a loss of about 
one hundred men, though that was a fifth of our 
number. Six officers surrendered to me in person, 
and their swords I had at one time attached to my 
belt. I went to the rear to bring up the two other 
regiments as guards, for our prisoners out- 
numbered us three to one. The night w^as very 
dark and cold. I was not familiar with the ground, 
but was so fortunate as to find the regiments where 
they were left in the afternoon, and equally for- 
tunate in conducting them back to the captured 
work. At two o'clock in the mornino; the colonel 



56 Personal Experiences in the 

and I laid down and slept till day-liglit. The 
trophies were then collected; fifte&n hundred 
stand of small arms, six battle flags, and quantities 
of other equipments. We were astonished when 
we saw by day-light what we had done. It was a 
brilliant achievement for such a handful of men to 
take those powerful earth works, manned by three 
times their number, and produced a most gratifying 
sensation in our arm}-, and deep mortification in 
the rebel army. In his report of the aifair, 
Colonel Upton spoke in a complimentary manner 
ofhisstaft', mentioning us byname. Our adjutant 
general. Captain Wilson, was shot through the 
wrist and left us. On the afternoon of the 8th we 
crossed the river, and moved by wings to the front, 
up to Brandy station, without meeting the enemy. 
There we went into camp, the 2d brigade going 
up to the Hazel river and camping on the south 
side. 

Presentation to General ]Meade. 

Brandy Station was made the base of supplies, 
and communication opened with Washington by 
the Orange and Alexandria rail road. After 
being in camp a few days, arrangements were 
made to present General Meade the rebel flags 
captured in our late fight. Selecting fifty men 



War of the Great Rebellion. 57 

from each regiment, we formed them into com- 
panies, giving each company a rebel flag, and a 
United States flag to fly over the rebel. In 
columns of companies, banners flying, and band 
playing, we marched out. All the troops near us 
turned out to see our little band, and we were 
cheered from our camp all the way till we reached 
General Meade's. At army headquarters the 
column was formed into line of battle, and Colonel 
Upton in a fitting speech presented General 
Meade the captured flags. The general replied in 
an appropriate manner, and then invited us in his 
tent. All the generals of note in the army 
were there, and after an introduction to each one, 
and drinking several glasses of champagne, we 
mounted our horses and went home. 

The battle of Rappahannock station added to 
the former brilliant reputation of our brigade, a 
reputation which it maintained through the entire 
war. 

Campaign op Mine Run. 

The time elapsing between the aft'air of Rappa- 
hannock station and the 24th of March, 1863, was 
not marked by any event worth recording. On 
the morning of the 24th, the 2d corps, encamped 
south of Brandy station, made a movement toward 
8 



58 Personal Experiences in the 

the "Rapidan. After marching a few miles only, it 
was forced to return on account of the mud caused 
by a heavy rain w^hich had been falling the night 
previous. 

The morning of the 26th broke with a cold, driz- 
zling rain, and during the forenoon we received 
orders to move at one p. m. IsTever was a campaign 
commenced under less favorable circumstances. 
The elements were greatly against us. Our army 
was small, and the movement seemed to be made 
only to keep the great American people quiet with 
the question, " Why don't the army of the Potomac 
move?" 

At two p. M., on the 26th, we drew out and 
moved toward Brandy station. About dark we 
overtook the army train ; some wagons were stuck 
in the mud, others tipped over, and some sunk in 
the mud and water. To our disgust, orders were 
sent to our brigade to remain and help the trains 
out of their troubles. All night long, after the 
greatest exertion, we succeeded in putting the 
train on hard dry land. I confined my attentions 
during the night to Waterman's battery, and with 
the men under my charge, extricated his guns so 
many times, that he offered me the privilege of 
fighting one of his sections whenever I felt so 
disposed. 



War of the Great Rebellion. 59 

We continued the march, and at day-break on 
the 27th, stood on the banks of the Rapidan at 
Jacob's ford. The 2d corps was to cross at Chan- 
cellorsville, the 1st and 3rd at Germania, and the 
5th and 6th at Jacob's ford. On the approach of 
our array, General Lee retired to Mine Run, six 
miles from the river, and there took a position of 
defense. The weather was growing cold, the 
rain did not abate, and the men were beginning 
to suffer. On the 28th, we moved forward through 
the upper part of the wilderness. Lee's skirmish- 
ers were far in front of his main lines, and there- 
fore picket firing commenced very soon after he 
moved. 

On the 2d of December, General French, with 
the 2d corps, encountered General Johnston of 
Early's corps. A fierce battle ensued, and at its 
height our brigade was sent to French's assistance. 
Never had I heard such dreadful rolls of musketry ; 
the noise of the discharge of twenty thousand mus- 
kets and their reverberations through the woods 
was incessant and deafening; nothing but their 
steady whir could be distinguished, and soon the 
rebel batteries added their noise to that of the 
infantry. Our brigade was on the crest of a hill at 
Locust Grove under a steady stream of lire waiting 
for orders to charge. But the enemy retired, 



60 Personal Experiences in the 

having lost one thousand men killed and wounded, 
and we seven hundred. 

During the night I was riding over the field with 
Colonel Upton, when we met General JSTeil, and 
from hirn the colonel learned the disposition for the 
night. Upton rode rapidly oft" to see General Howe 
leaving me with General Neil. Presently the 
general turned to me, and said : " Orderly, when 
Colonel Upton returns, tell him to move his brigade 
in the woods, and let the men sleep." I answered, 
" General, I will give him the order, hut I am a 
staff oflicer, and not an orderly." Thereupon the 
general was so profuse in his apologies, that I almost 
regretted that I had undeceived him as to my rank. 
He was called the most polite man in the army, and 
he always exceeded himself in his attentions to me 
after this mistake. 

Towards morning I fell asleep on a pile of rub- 
bish and slept till day-break, when with the 
remainder of the corps, we started for Mine Run. 
The weather was still very cold, and the troops were 
suftering severely, as scarcely an enlisted man in 
the brigade had an overcoat. On Saturday morn- 
ing we reached a hill in view of Mine Run. 
General Lee's army was found on the crest of some 
hills standing in a semicircle. Between him and 
us, in the centre, was the run, a deep creek. All 



"War of the Great Rebellion. 61 

the woods in his front were felled, making an im- 
penetrable abatis. His guns commanded every 
avenue of approach to every part of his lines. As 
soon as we saw the works the idea of assaulting 
them seemed preposterous, though had the order 
been given the attack would have been made with 
desperation. Upton and some general officers rode 
to the right of the line, and found a place where an 
attack seemed the most practicable, and on report- 
ing the same to the commander-in-chief, he ordered 
the 5th and 6th corps to move into the dense pine 
woods on the right, preparatory to an assault. At 
a distance of about twelve hundred yards from Lee's 
works, we entered the woods at two o'clock on 
Sunday morning. Already some men had perished 
with the cold. Fires were not allowed, as we were 
to remain in the woods unknown to the enemy. 

Warren, with thirty thousand men, was to attack 
Lee's right at eight a. m., and at nine a. m. our bat- 
teries were to open, and our two corps to charge. 
By day-light the affiiir became a matter of indiffer- 
enco to us, as we were just as willing and ready to 
be killed by iron and lead as by cold. 

However, in the morning as General Lee ap- 
peared inclined to remain in his works, General 
Meade thought lie could as well defer the battle till 
Monday, and thus observe the laws of Sunday. 



62 Personal Experiences in the 

This little sting of conscience of the general gave 
"US twent^^-four hours more to suffer the stings of 
this December cold, and try to freeze to death. I 
believe a few more men succeeded. I was afraid to 
sleep, and my feet and hands were aching severely. 
The men were thumping and jumping about to 
keep up circulation. Without any exaggeration I 
may say these three days were as cold as any we 
ever had in I*^ew York in the same month. 

The defiant look and seemingly impregnable 
works of the enemy added nothing to our comfort. 
On Sunday all was quiet, and on Monday morning 
a benumbed and frozen army stood in line of 
battle, waiting the signal to commence the engage- 
ment. In the distance Ave heard the roar of 
Warren's artillery. The 6th corps batteries opened, 
and in two minutes our blood was in circulation 
to our hearts' (dis) content. I was sent to McCar- 
teney's battery with an order for him to fire on a 
certain work. While I went through the woods 
the shot and shell cut down limbs and trees in 
front and behind me. I reached the battery out 
of breath, and gave the order, and waited to see 
the effect of the shot. He fired by battery, and 
turning to me said, '-You better get into the 
woods again." The words were scarcely spoken 
before torrents of shells came pouring into his 



War of the Great Rebellion. 63 

battery ; I thought they never would stop coming, 
and when they did, they left us, in McCarteney's 
words, " sorry that we had stirred them up in the 
first place." 

Campaign Abandoned. 
I returned to the brigade, and found it waiting 
for the word charge. Suddenly an aid-de-camp, 
followed by two more, dashed up just in time to 
General Sedgwick with instructions to postpone 
the attack. Warren had found that the rebel 
position on his front was too strong for him to 
carry. General Meade wisely determined to delay 
the attack, and after further examination decided 
to abandon the campaign and return to the north 
side of the Rapidan. Accordingly orders were 
issued for the army to retire. Colonel Upton was 
appointed commander of the corps pickets. The 
corps commenced its withdrawal at dusk. We 
were to remain with the pickets till three in the 
morning. All the staff but me went with the 
remainder of the brigade ; I stayed with Upton. 
That picket business was risky. There we stayed 
nearl}^ all night in sight of an army of seventy 
thousand men, and had only a picket line of a few 
hundreds for defense. At four o'clock the pickets 
were quietly and safely withdrawn, and marched 



64 Personal Experiences in the 

down to Robinsou's Tavern, where the army 
pickets were to assemble. After a discussion of 
rank for some time, it was decided that Upton was 
the ranking officer, and therefore would command 
the four thousand men composing the pickets of 
all the corps in the army. At noon we over- 
took the main army at the river, and as we were 
all across, the rebel rear guard made a slight 
demonstration with artillery, and then returned in 
their glory. Thus ended the campaign of Mine 
Eun, a campaign which caused suffering, mortili- 
cation and loss of confidence. In the course of 
two or three days we were back in our old camp 
at Brandy station. 



Winter Quarters, 18G3 and 1864. 

"We were once more on the south side of the 
Hazel in our old camps. Winter quarters were 
announced, and it behooved each one to make 
himself as comfortable as possible for the next 
five or six months. On the opposite side of the 
river was a large substantial house surrounded 
with all manner of barns and sheds. And near 
this house were clean pine woods and elegant 
grounds for camps. We tried to impress upon the 
colonel that it was necessary for the troops to 



War of the Great Rebellion. 65 

move from their present quarters. Surgeons cer- 
tified that our camp was very unhealthful, and 
the chaplains wanted pleasanter surroundings for 
their devotions. At length Upton thought as we 
did, and one afternoon rode up to General Sedg- 
wick for permission to move, which he gained, and 
that evening we laid a pontoon bridge, and across 
we went — the only troops on that side of the 
river, and therefore completely isolated from the 
army. I had not slept in a house for more than a 
year, and many nights in that year upon the 
ground. So at the idea of beds and four substan- 
tial walls, I was vastly delighted. "Without invita- 
tion from the lady of the house, Mrs. Major, we 
very politely requested her to accept us as guests 
for the coming winter. The brigade took pos- 
session of the woods, and its commander and staff 
of the house. Our staft'was composed of pleasant, 
intelligent, witty young men, and full of life, 
except Captain Swift, the commissary, who was 
sixty-three years old, but young for his age. All 
were department officers. I was some of the time 
half-and-half, adjutant general and aid-de-camp. 
Our rooms were large and well fitted up. But a 
few yards from the house was the lovely little 
river, a tributary of the Rappahannock. The 
grounds of the house were handsomely and taste- 
9 



66 Personal Experiences in the 

fully laid out. In fact the headquarters of Upton 
at Presque Isle Hall were considered to be the 
most aristocratic, stylish, and comfortable in the 
army of the Potomac. For the first few evenings 
we did nothing but congratulate ourselves upon 
our elegant quarters, and in the day time took 
care that the men were made comfortable. When 
we were somewhat accustomed to Mrs. Major's 
house, we concluded we would give a dinner party. 

Our Dinner. 

A long list of luxuries was made out, and an agent 
sent to Washington to get them. General Sedg- 
wick's staff were to be the guests, and therefore it 
was necessary to have enough wine. We had 
sufficient to float the pontoons of the oOtli 
Engineers. The day arrived, the guests were 
assembled, and we sat down. The champagne 
had been put in a tub of water and placed out on 
the roof, from the hall Avindows, to keep cold. 
Skirmishing commenced with the soup, and we 
were comparing our present life to that of a few 
weeks previous, when we heard a terrific noise 
that sent consternation through the entertainers, if 
not through the guests. The case was this, while 
the servants were taking in the tubs, something 



"War of the Great Rebellion. 67 

rolled clown stairs that sounded very like the 
crashing of champagne bottles, crash, crash 
followed in quick succession, every bottle appear- 
ing to be on a spree, knocking itself against every 
step of the stairs as it went down. The company 
tried that ludicrous kind of politeness of looking 
unconscious that any thing has occurred to annoy 
the host, though I saw more than one of them 
smile at the appearance of Hall's eyes as they 
started from their sockets, and of the colonel's 
white look about the mouth. However, in a 
moment our head cook entered with a smile of 
triumph lighting his gastronomic countenance, and 
holding a bottle of champagne in each hand. The 
alarm was occasioned by two windows falling 
down stairs, much to Mrs. Major's displeasure. 
The dinner was a success ; and as the party 
dispersed, the adjutant general assured me that I 
could have a leave any time I felt disposed to apply 
for it. 

Went Home. 

There was nothing now for us to do, and I began 
to think the sight of Cherry Yalley would not be 
an unpleasant one, and therefore applied for a ten 
days' leave. The application was returned approved. 
I could scarcely realize that the great pleasure of 



68 Personal Experiences in the 

seeing my home and Kew York was before me. 
During the year which had seemed so long, I had 
often dreamed of that pleasure, but had not looked 
at the possibility of enjoying it. On the 14th of 
January, I rode to Brandy station to take the cars, 
and while waiting for the train to be made up, met 
my friend General Niel, who, with his usual 
politeness, invited me to ride in the car which was 
being especially prepared for him, and, of course, 
I accepted the invitation. My visit home was 
delightful, and after a few day's sojourn there and 
in Kew York, I again started for the army. 

Return to the Army. 

On my return to our headquarters I found at our 
house two of Madam Major's female friends. My 
introduction was more vigorous than formal. After 
paying my respects to our commander in his room, 
I went in the hall, and jumped out on the front 
piazza roof, and commenced hopping up and 
down. In a moment I heard a crash, two or three 
shrill screams, and then all was quiet. I went below 
to investigate, and found that in my enthusiasm I 
had knocked down all the plaster on the heads of 
the fair Virginians. I apologized, censured myself, 
was forgiven, and introduced. I had a bottle of 



"War of the Great Rebellion. 69 

"night blooming cereus," the perfume took, though 
it did not last long. Hall smelt stronger than I did, 
and Daniels, who was about going home to be 
married, excelled us both. 



Presents and Punch. 

For some time the idea of making General 
Bartlett a present had been entertained in the 
brigade. The money was raised, and a beautiful 
watch and corps badge selected as the gifts. The 
presentation was to take place at our headquarters, 
in presence of General Sedgwick and staff, and of 
the otficers of the brigade, numbering about one 
hundred and fifty. Our staff held a council of 
provisions. Hall said that necessarily there would 
be a great deal of drinking, and Daniels proposed 
that in that case we should give the guests a great 
deal to drink. Swift, the commissary, remarked 
he had enough whisky to kill them all. Hall 
thought it would be a bore having forty or fifty 
men in the house all night sleeping under tables 
and hanging over bedposts. I then proposed we 
should concoct a " solution of poison," strongenough 
to make them all tight early in the day, and by that 
means dispose of their society for the night. This 
plan was agreed to, and we set to work making 



70 Personal Experiences in the 

the most villainous compound that man ever drank 
and survived. We took thirty gallons of com- 
missary whisky with enough sugar to make it 
very sweet and smooth, six bottles of brandy, six 
bottles of gin, and weakened the whole with claret 
and lemons, intending when the guests arrived to 
retire and watch the effects, in the same way as 
men blasting rocks wait behind a tree for the 
explosion. At noon, the company began to 
assemble. I told my friend Madam Major not to 
be surprised at any thing that might occur, for there 
was no telling what United States officers might do 
on rebel ground, when their natural temperaments 
were a little excited — that possibly more hats 
and uniforms might be demolished than would 
suffice for a young rebel regiment. At last 
General Bartlett came in dazzling style ; we were 
ready to receive him, he drank our healths in the 
punch, and the compliment we returned, but 
sparingly in point of beverage. General Sedg- 
wick then came and took a glass of our concoction ; 
he evidently suspected the properties of our 
soothing little lotion, but said nothing, and after 
him, others of lesser note rejoiced at our hospi- 
tality. 

Chaplain Adams, of 5th Maine, made the 
presentation speech, and General Bartlett, with the 



War of the Great Rebellion. 71 

corner of his eye a little moistened, feelingly 
replied, and pocketed the presents. We then 
commenced the part of entertainers, and oiFered 
our guests a lunch under the trees below, and 
punch to make them feel at ease. In a short time 
some Avere telling stories, some making speeches, 
and some singing songs. The most temperate 
grew somewhat vociferous. General Sedgwick 
came in the room and was assailed by numbers to 
listen to their exploits on the peninsula or else- 
where. Lucretia Borgia could have poisoned them 
all, but would have refrained, seeing how effectually 
her work was already done. Mrs. Major grew 
crazy and called on the guerillas, Moseby, and the 
devil, to murder us. She thought Blenker's 
division of Dutchmen were having a celebration. 
She attacked me in the hall with the words, 
"Adjutant, you are no gentleman to bring here 
those crazy Yankees." 

The 2d brigade staff were not soon forgiven for 
this day's business. When any of our guests were 
afterwards asked by any of us to take a drink, they 
always refused, with a polite "No, I thank you." 

Ladies in the Army. 

By this time about twenty-five hundred ladies 
had arrived in the army — visiting their husbands, 



72 Personal Experiences in the 

fathers, and brothers. Our brigade had its share, 
and we looked like a garrison in time of peace. 
As we had a tine band at our headquarters we 
gave several dancing parties. Hall fell in love 
with one young lady who did not reciprocate his 
passion, so he got commissioned in a colored regi- 
ment and left. Daniels's wife came to see him, and 
kept him out of mischief Swift was too old to be 
very fascinating, and I moved among the girls 
generally. 

General Bartlett's Ball. 

In February General Bartlett gave a ball. ne of 
his staff came over and invited us. On the appointed 
day ambulances were requested for the ladies. The 
division surgeon, a cross old M. D., refused to allow 
them to go. Whereupon, I rode up to General 
Sedgwick's, and asked him for permission to take 
the wagons ; he told me to take all I wanted, but 
to look out for any lyinich that tasted weak. 

The ambulances appeared, and our party started 
and reached the 5th corps about nine o'clock, and 
found a company of several hundred ladies and 
gentlemen dressed in the height of civil or military 
fashion. The male portion of the people who did 
not dance, generally kept out of the way of those 
who did. There was no respect to rank. A 



War of the Great Rebellion. 73 

lieutenant dancing the galop would collide with a 
major general without apology. Spurs, sabres and 
sashes caught in dresses and coat tails ; and the 
whole room was a scene of chaotic confusion. At 
one o'clock supper was announced. After supper 
dancing was resumed. At length, tired of dancing, 
about two o'clock, I thought I would go home, and 
accordingly my ambulance was ordered. Just as I 
was going out, General French was coming in, 
Captain Bartlett said to him, " Why, General, I 
thought you had gone home." The general had 
thought so too, but, poor man he had wandered 
about for an hour, and at last turned up in the same 
place he had started from ; he had seen some head- 
quarters, and going to them found he was in the 
same place where he had been all night. I reached 
home at peep of day, and went to sleep, thinking 
of ladies and Sedgwick punches. In the after- 
noon General Meade rode up to our headquarters 
and when I went out to meet him, to my surprise 
called me by name, and introducing me to some 
ladies with him, asked me to show them over our 
camp. I did so, and when they left I thanked 
fortune that there was no ball that night. 

The months of February and March were 
occupied with rides, parties, drills and reviews. I 

frequently crossed the Rappahannock to visit some 
10 



74 Personal Experiences in the 

of my Virginian friends. One day I was at the 
house of a Miss Fant, and while talking with her, 
the 5th corps pickets were suddenly withdrawn, 
leaving me outside. Pickets were placed down at 
the ford where I had crossed, and not knowing the 
countersign I could not pass them. I did not intend 
riding by way of Rappahannock station home, a 
distance of twenty-two miles. Miss Fant told me 
the 118th Pennsylvania was on picket. In that 
regiment there were a great many Dutchmen, and 
I knew if there was one of them on guard at the 
ford that I could get the better of him. So I rode 
cautiously towards this picket, and waited till he 
was about two hundred yards from the river and 
then put my horse on a full gallop for the ford. 
The sentinel saw me, and gave chase, yelling halt, 
as if the lives of the army hung on the strength of 
his voice. I gained the ford, crossed and went 
home, and never said a word about the afiair. 



General Grant Appears. Banishes the Ladies. 

Early in April, General Grant, having been 
appointed Lieutenant General, made his appear- 
ance in the army of the Potomac. Directly on his 
arrival an order was issued to corps commanders, 



"War of the Great Rebellion. 75 

that every lady in their respective corps should 
leave without delay. The 12th of April was fixed 
for the first installment of the great departure. 
On the morning of that sad day Captain Daniels 
and I rode down to see the first exodus. It 
required two days to remove them all. "We sat on 
a bundle of hay till the most afiiecting scenes were 
over, and then attended to our own little business 
in that line. The remainder of the twenty-five 
hundred of our guests left on the next day, under 
circumstances still more heart-rending. After a 
proper and becoming time, we rallied and began 

Preparations for the Campaign. 

The army was consolidated into three corps. 
The 2d, 5th and 6th were enlarged by the others 
being merged into them. Their united strength 
was eighty thousand men, and thirty-six batteries. 
"With General Burnside's corps the army numbered 
about one hundred thousand men, nearly all of 
them veterans. Colonel Upton was left in com- 
mand of our brigade, and General "Wright of our 
division. As April drew to a close we looked for 
orders that would open the campaign. Ofiicers 
and privates wrote home their last letters, rations 
and ammunition were issued, and on the third of 



76 Personal Experiences in the 

May the army of the Potomac was ready once 
more to measure bayonets with its enemies. 

Our brigade numbered about twenty-three 
hundred men for duty. Our staff' remained the 
same, except that Captain Fish was made adjutant 
general, and we had an extra aid in the person of 
Lieutenant Patterson. 

Under our gallant brigade commander, we were 
now about to enter on the bloody fields of the 
"Wilderness, Spottsylvania, Cold Harbor, Peters- 
burg, and Winchester, where he won honor and 
distinction for himself and his soldiers. 



Battles of the Wilderness. 

At midnight on the 3d of May, we I'eceived 
orders to vacate our camps, and join the corps on 
the south side of the Hazel. By the morning 
our elegant quarters were left in solitude, and 
we were shivering in little tents waiting for final 
instructions. During the evening of the 3d I was 
at corps headquarters, and there learned that the 
corps would move at the hour of four in the 
morning. 

My little sins during the winter came up before 
me, but my thoughts were turned as I saw several 



War of the Great Rebellion. 77 

negroes with a coffin. They told me " Uncle 
Clem had gone dead, and dey was waitin' fur de 
preacher." I went on and met Chaplain Adams, 
his coat buttoned up and a big bible under his 
arm, looking very solemn. I remarked it was 
rather early in the season to go black burying ; he 
deigned no reply, but looked shocked at my 
irreverence. 

I went home, and made preparations for the 
morrow. At 3 a. m., on the 4th, reveille sounded ; 
we were soon up cooking and eating, while the 
dark spring fog hung heavily over us. The small 
fires of the soldiers were just discernible. Gradu- 
ally the day appeared, and the sun rose as our 
columns drew out in line of march. Our course 
was to Brandy station, and thence to Germania 
ford on the Rapidan, a distance of fifteen miles. 
The cavalry division of General Wilson had 
efifected a crossing and laid pontoon bridges. We 
reached the river about six p. m., and, after 
crossing, moved some distance, and went into 
camp for the night. The other corps had crossed 
at other places, very much as in the Mine Run 
campaign. We all felt deep interest and anxiety 
to see how General Grant would handle the army, 
and how he would cope with General Lee, while 
the latter acted on the defensive. Upon our 



78 Personal Experiences in the 

approach General Lee retired behind his works 
at Mine Run, but seeing that General Grant 
intended to let him stay there, he moved his 
forces out, and on the s&th of May struck the 
right of the 5tb corps. We were immediately 
sent to the aid of that corps, and reached it, 
after passing through an almost impenetrable 
thicket. 

The work of destruction had commenced ; the 
musketry was fearful, but there was no cannonad- 
ing, as artillery could not be taken through the 
woods. At length the firing in some degree 
ceased, and at sunset our lines were confronting 
those of Longstreet, our old enemy. Already we 
had lost many men without being really engaged. 
Colonel Carroll of the 95th was killed two minutes 
after he had gone to execute an order I had given 
him. That night was passed under a perfect 
shower of balls. 

Friday, the sixth, commenced with heav}' skirm- 
ishing. We did not know the result of the 
operations of the other corps, though the firing 
from their lines had been incessant all the night. 
Hancock, with the 2d corps, was on our extreme 
left; Warren, with the 5th, in the center; and 
the 6th corps on the extreme right. Between the 
right of the 6th corps and the river, were only a 



War of the Great Rebellion. 79 

few cavalry videttes. All day Ave were kept 
down by the balls of sharpshooters. As Patterson 
and I were dodging behind trees, he was shot in 
the hand while scratching his ear. I told him it 
was a w^onder his ear was not hit instead of his 
hand, for that was the larger of the two. The next 
day witnessed the same scenes, and the woods 
began to look tattered and stripped by so many 
balls fired into them. We wondered why all this 
firing w^as kept up without any charging, but it 
was kept up, and everywhere men, horses and 
trees were thrown about prostrate. Already our 
brigade had sustained a loss of two hundred men 
by casual shots. Saturday dawned under similar 
circumstances. Hancock had had a terrible battle 
at the Chancellorsville cross-roads, losing eight 
thousand men, but gallantly repulsing the enemy. 
About this time we heard and began to realize, 
that we were under a commander who " proposed 
to fight it out on this lino if it took all summer." 
The tenacity of the army of the Potomac was 
to be more sorely tested than ever before. Thou- 
sands of men were dead and wounded, and that 
vast wilderness was one great cemetery and 
hospital for both armies. The situation was 
so unfamiliar to ns that we did not pretend to 
criticise the actions of our generals, nor presume 



80 Personal Experiences in the 

upon the result of the Wilderness fighting. Con- 
tinually the rain of iron was sweeping over us, 
men slept on their muskets, and stait' otiicers, with 
their horses saddled, were constantly on the watch. 
The 3d division of the corps was on the right, 
and in its rear were General Sedgwick's head- 
quarters. At 5 p. M. on the Tth, there was an 
unusual peal of musketry in that direction, which 
deepened with a steady choking roll. Presently 

Colonel , of General Wright's stafl:', in a very 

demoralized condition, dashed up to our brigade, 
and in a terror-stricken voice yelled, " 121st follow 
me on the double quick." Before the regimental 
commander could get his men in hand, they 
dashed off with this crazy, foolish officer. Colonel 
Upton and I were at the left of the brigade, and 
we instantly mounted our horses and dashed up to 
the right to see what was the matter. In five 
minutes the whole 3d division was rushing pell 
mell through our lines, completely breaking up 
our formation, and carryiug two of our regiments 
by force to the rear. The balls of the enemy were 
crashing about us, and the 2d division line was 
firing with great spirit. Upton and I were se- 
parated. Portions of two regiments were with 
me. I was the only mounted officer there, and as 
I was about to give some orders on my own 



War of the Great Eebellion. 81 

responsibility, General Sedgwick came rushing 
through the woods and told me to form a line 
perpendicular to the old line, and repulse the 
enemy coming in that direction ; but no enemy 
came, and therefore I lost the opportunity of 
making myself a brigadier general. That horrible 
wilderness, filled with thousands of soldiers running, 
fighting and dying, at that time presented a scene 
scarcely paralleled on earth. The rebels did not 
press on, but were content with holding the right 
of our line. The first and second divisions of 
course held their ground, and after dark the 
situation was nearly the same as during the day. 
I knew some different formation of the corps 
would have to be made. Colonel Upton and I 
were with General Sedgwick, and the 95th and 
96th Pennsylvania were with us. General Sedg- 
wick asked me if I knew the way back to our old 
line. I said yes, and by his order conducted the 
two regiments to the remainder of the brigade. 
The night was extremely dark, and but for my 
perfect knowledge of the roads, which had been 
cut by our pioneers, I might have led the men 
into the enemy's lines. I had all the head- 
quarters guard with me, and, I suppose, in the 
dark, looked like a general, at least an officer 

rode up to me and said, " General, can you 
11 



82 Personal Experiences in the 

tell me where General Sedgwick is." I knew 

the voice, and said, " he is back on this road 

about two hundred yards, I will send an orderly 
with you ; but don't call me general again, 
if you please, for this night's performances do 
not throw much credit upon gentlemen of that 
rank." Two others presently made the same 
mistake, and I disabused their minds in a similar 
manner. 

General Sedgwick determined to "refuse" the 
right of the corps, and orders were issued to move 
immediately. The movement had to be done with 
the greatest caution, for the rebel picket line was 
but a few 3'ards from ours. At eleven o'clock, the 
1st division commenced the march to the left, 
followed by the 2cl, and then under the very noses 
of Longstreet's men, twenty thousand men marched 
out and took up a new position. We left all our 
dead and wounded on the field. !■ After having 
fortified our new position we again commenced a 
flank move, and went within three miles of 
Spottsylvania Court House, a distance of sixteen 
miles from our original point. On the morning 
of the 9th our lines were again in position, and 
about six a. m., snatching a few leisure minutes, 
I sat down to eat something. The skirmishers 
in front were sending the " swifts" over us, but 



War of the Great Rebellion. 83 

they were an old story, and did not excite much 
attention, nor disturb the actions of our men. 

General Sedgwick Killed. 

A moment after we sat down. Major Whittier, 
of General Sedgwick's stafi" rode up, and told me 
that the general had been shot in the face, and was 
dying, and that he was going for an ambulance. 
I had just seen the general sitting on a rifle pit 
talking with his staff, and was startled and shocked 
to hear of the disaster to the noble hearted soldier. 
The sacl news soon spread though the corps, and 
every man mourned over the great loss that had 
fallen on us. The general was carried to the rear, 
and in a short time died in the arms of his aid, 
Major Whittier, and was taken to his native place 
in Connecticut, and buried with merited honors. 
This loss was severely felt by the troops ; the 
excitement of battles, and the fatigue of the cam- 
paign could never make them forget their favorite 
general " Uncle John." 

General Wright Appointed Commander of 
6tii Corps. 

General Wright of our division was made major 
general, and placed in command of the corps, and 



8-1 Personal Experiences in the 

General Russell of the 3cl brigade was placed in 
command of the division. The fighting so far 
had not resulted in any great advantage to us, but 
we were still in possession of our ground, and had 
not met with any great disaster and been forced 
to abandon the campaign, as in former times under 
other generals. The losses in the army were 
severe ; our little brigade was dwindling down to 
very small numbers ; two regiments had lost their 
commanding officers, together with many subor- 
dinate officers. One of our staff, Patterson, had 
left. 

On the afternoon of the 9th we were ordered 
in three lines of battle to charge the rebel corps 
in our front. The lines were all ready, and we 
were sitting on our horses anxiously waiting the 
order to move forward, so that we might have 
the disagreeable duty over as soon as possible. 
The order seemed unwarranted, as an attack 
upon that portion of the rebel line Avas not at 
all likely to be successful. Suddenly a cloud of 
balls came in on our right flank ; twenty men 
or more dropped about me. Upton gave the 
order to face to the right, and as we did so, we 
saw a line of the enemy advancing on our right 
flank. This movement of the enemy check- 



"War of the Great Rebellion. 85 

mated the assault, and thereby saved the lives 
of hundreds of our men. The enemy then opened 
a severe artillery lire on us, but did very little 
damage. 



Upton's Brilliant Charge. 

During tlie night we moved to the left three 
miles, and made extensive earthworks. Towards 
noon the heretofore steady firing in our front 
ceased, and we concluded to sleep a little. As we 
were nearly asleep, a staff otficer rode up, saying 
that " General Wright would like to see Colonel 
Upton." There was no use in sleeping now, for 
we knew we would have fighting soon if Upton had 
any thing to say about it. After a while I did fall 
asleep, and was awakened by the voice of the 
colonel: "Wake up, adjutant, and mount your 
horse." I jumped up and saw the Vermont brigade 
and the 9th Pennsylvania, 121st New York and 
119th Pennsylvania marching past without knap- 
sacks. I did not ask any questions, for these 
twelve regiments, the flower of the 6th corps, were 
in their costume to "charge," a^idlsoon found out 
that we were to make one of the most desperate 
assaults of the war. Upton told me he had been 



86 Personal Experiences in the 

selected to take command of the regiments, mass 
tLem in the woods two hundred yards from the 
rebel line, and, upon the given sigual, to charge 
and break their line. The ground between the 
lines was as even as a floor, and so well commanded 
by the artillery and infantry of the enemy, that 
nearly every shot would have great effect. We 
were to break the line, turn to the right, and clear 
a space in the enemy's works equal to the front of 
one of our divisions. General Mott, of the 2d 
corps, if we were successful, was to charge on our 
left, and protect our rear and flank. At six p. m., 
the batteries ceased firing, and as they did so, 
the clear voice of Upton rang out, "Attention! 
Forward !" when all the lines rose up, the three 
first to advance, the fourth to move to the edge of 
the woods, and cover the retreat if there should be 
any. Like one man, that immense mass of thou- 
sands of men rose up, and instantly were met by 
a severe and staggering fire, but passed or rushed 
over the works, drove the gunners from their guns, 
and turned the battery on the enemy. We then 
wheeled to the right, and carried every thing 
before us. 

Nothing was able to stand that torrent of the 
picked men of the 6th corps so bravely led. 
Twelve hundred prisoners surrendered, and were 



"War of the Great Rebellion. 87 

sent to the rear. We were performing our portion 
of the work with magnificent success, when sud- 
denly every kind of missile came crashing into us. 
"We were attacked by the remainder of Ewell's 
corps, and by their superior numbers were com- 
pletely carried back. General Mott's division had 
refused to charge, and, therefore, our charge at first 
so successful, was turned Into a repulse, and we 
had to retreat, leaving twelve hundred of our men 
on the field. 

We retired to our former position. Of the eight 
hundred men in our brigade, four hundred and two 
were killed and wounded in this charo-e. The 
woods were full of these unfoi'tunate creatures, 
and sounded all night with their cries and groans. 
The charge would have been a brilliant success had 
not its supports entirely failed. 

The incessant roar of battle for so many days 
had begun to aft'ect the nerves and strength of the 
men. Peal after peal of thousands of muskets 
would startle the whole army from a deep and 
greatly needed sleep ; for six days not fifteen 
minutes had elapsed that we did not hear the rattle, 
and see the efiects of these infernal engines of war. 
Grant was plainly demonstrating to the army of 
the Potomac that it must make this the last cam- 
paign and finisli the rebellion. 



Personal Experiences in the 



The 12th of May — Spottsylvania Court House. 

The 12tli of May, 1864, will ever be remembered 
by the 6th and 2d corps as the date of one of the 
most desperate and bloody struggles, and one of 
the most brilliant victories of the war. And our 
gallant colonel, too, will remember the day, for at 
that Lime by his personal exertions, daring and 
skill, he won for himself lasting honor, and the 
merited rank of brigadier general, the order con- 
ferring on him that rank declared it to be "for 
meritorious and gallant conduct during the battles 
of the Wilderness, and for thebattle at Spottsylvania 
Court House, on the 12th of May, 1864." 

At day-break on the 12th, Hancock assaulted the 
enemy, taking him completely by surprise, cap- 
turing one entire division with its commander, 
General Johnston, and eighteen pieces of artillerj^, 
and obtaining possession of the key of his works. 
Our brigade was ordered to move forward to assist 
the 2d corps. The 121st and 96th were in front 
advancing into a break in the 2d corps, and were 
met with a heavy fire which they returned, and in 
five minutes were hotly engaged. The other two 
regiments, were ordered up, and they opened fire. 
Less than forty yards from us were the rebels in 



War of the Great Rebellion. 89 

very strong force, pouriug the most destructive fire 

into us. Between the two lines was a rifle pit 

\vhich each side was contending for, but which 

neither could get ; and there twenty thousand men 

were sending balls into the unprotected breasts of 

their opponents. It seemed impossible that troops 

could stand so severe a tire. I called up two 

orderlies to give them an order, and while speaking 

to them both their horses were hit, and I had to 

carry it mj self. There was one steady stream of 

iron and lead from the whole of A. P. Hill's corps. 

I sat on my horse thinking that if I lived fifteen 

minutes I would do better than I could hope for. 

At 9 A. M., the rain began to fall and came down 

in torrents, the mud was over a foot deep, and the 

men in ranks eight or ten deep, slipped and stood 

firing at will. Upton and his staft" were busy in 

keeping the men in position; openings would 

occur, made by volleys of balls, and would be 

instantly closed by the supply of other men. 

The rebels tried to form columns to charge us, but 

our dreadful fire broke up their formation before 

they were ready. We tried the same thing, and 

were equally unsuccessful. Already there were 

heaps of our dead lying about and impeding our 

operations. Our troops got gunpowder crazy, and 

standing up in the most exposed position, would 
12 



90 Personal Experiences in the 

fire with deliberate aim. The rebels still held 
their ground, and we ours, fighting behind breast- 
works made by the dead of both armies. 

Toward noon Upton told me to ride back, and 
get a section of artillery to put in position where 
we were. I went and asked a captain of artillery 
for two pieces, and he sent them up, remarking 
that he never expected to see them again. Back I 
went with the guns, and they were put in position, 
and fired just one round of canister, when every 
man at the guns was killed or wounded. 

A Rebel Trick Detected. 

Early in the afternoon the rebels displayed a 
white flag, in the midst of about eighty men, who 
were deployed as skirmishers, and who advanced 
towards us apparently with the intention of sur- 
rendering. We were about ordering our men to 
cease firing, when we saw a line in rear with muskets 
trailed that did not look much like a surrender ; 
whereupon a strong fire was opened on the eighty 
men, killing a good many, and taking the rest 
prisoners. From them we learned that under 
cover of that white flag, the rebels were to charge 
our position ; but they decidedly got the worst of 
the operation, as it turned out. 



"War op the Great Eebellion. 91 

Increased Carnage. 

The battle had now raged into one of fierce 
determination ; the best troops of each army were 
opposed, and it seemed that nothing but the death 
of all would decide the aftair. Horses were killed, 
and their bodies were so cut up that there was not 
a bone of them left as large as a finger ; men were 
so mutilated that they could not be recognized by 
their comrades. Captain Fish, our adjutant general, 
was killed. W"e were standing in mud up to our 
knees, wet through, and head, eyes and ears aching 
from the efiiects of the ordeal we were passing 
through. Our men had fired on an average three' 
hundred rounds of cartridges each. Every thing 
for a mile in our rear was greatly cut up. I 
remember there was one tree just in front, twenty- 
two inches in diameter, through which a shell had 
passed in the morning, and before night it was cut 
down and in fine splinters by musket balls. 

At four p. M., after ten hours of this carnage, 
we were relieved, and fresh troops took our place. 
Three hundred would not cover the loss in our 
brigade, a dreadful one for the numbers engaged. 
Another of our staft' had gone, leaving Sanbourn 
and I next to be called for. Upton's horse was 



92 Personal Experiences in the 

killed, but mine and myself were untouched. We 
moved down into the woods, and the men were per- 
mitted to lie down and sleep. During the remainder 
of the afternoon, and until three o'clock the next 
day, the firing was steady, and unbroken, when 
the rebels gave way, leaving us in possession of 
one of the bloodiest battle fields ever known. 



The Bloody Angle. 

On the morning of the 13th, we returned to the 
"bloody angle" as our previous day's battle 
ground had been called, and there saw a sight that 
is indescribable. On one side of the pits were 
hundreds of our dead piled on each other, bodies 
perfectly powdered, and bones cut up as fine as 
dust. On the rebel side, in a space of less than an 
acre, lay in piles the disfigured bodies of four 
hundred and fifty of our enemies. Woods in 
the rear, several acres in extent, were cut down by 
shot, shell and bullets. Not a vestige of the rebel 
camps was left ; nothing had escaped the terrible- 
ness of our fire. The stubbornness evinced by both 
armies that day plainly showed why the war lasted 
as long as it did, and taught us that nothing but a 
total route and capture of Lee's army would ever 
give peace. 



War of the Great Rebellion. 93 

In the night of the 13th we were ordered to 
follow the 5th corps to Spottsylvania Conrt House. 
The night was very dark, windy and rainy. Our 
brigade was to lead the corps, so I was sent ahead 
to a certain cross roads to wait there until the 
rear of the 5th corps was passing, and then let 
Upton know. I went there, dismounted, and sat 
down under a tree, watching the troops. I was 
feeling very blue, tired and worn out, sick of seeing 
dead and wounded. The small fires ou the road 
side threw a dim light on the passing soldiers, but 
enough for me to see how tired and haggard each 
man looked. It was a sad time to me. At length 
the rear guard passed, and I sent an orderly to the 
general, as I always called Upton after the 12th. 
In a few minutes the long line of our men was 
visible, and just as the last of the 5th corps passed, 
we moved into the road, and after several hours of 
slipping and sliding in the mud reached Spottsyl- 
vania Court House, at day-break on the 14th. 

Battle of Bleak Hill. 14th of May. 

General Eustace, commanding the 3d brigade, 
was temporarily in command of the division, and 
was ordered by General Meade to send a brigade 
to occupy a place called "Bleak Hill," until he 



94 Personal Experiences in the 

could concentrate the army, and form the line of 
battle near the hill. General Eustace sent our 
brigade, with a reinforcement of two ^ew Jersey 
regiments. We numbered with them, nearly 
twelve hundred men. On the top of the hill was 
a house ; putting a look-out on the top, and arrang- 
ing our lines, we entered the house. This was 
the second time since the campaign opened that I 
took ofl* my boots ; my feet were raw, my boots 
had become part of me. As this seemed a good 
opportunity, we thought we would improve the 
time and have a rest, but scarcely were we lain 
down when the look-out called that there were 
rebel skirmishers on our right and front, one mile 
off. In front of the house was a plain a few 
hundred rods wide, and on the other side a large 
wood. General Upton thought he would send 
skirmishers to the edge of the wood and not be 
surprised by any rebels. Just as we were ready. 
Generals Meade and "Wright rode up, and Upton 
told them his intention, and moved forward. As 
we got nearly to the woods we were welcomed by 
a very stiff infantry fire, much to our surprise, 
and Generals Meade and Wright turned their horses' 
heads, and in a hurried manner went to the rear. 
I looked after them, and wished myself a major 
general. We soon met too many men for our 



"War of the Great Eebellion. 95 

skirmishers, and Upton told me to bring up the 
5th Maine, and I started for them. The dust flew 
up as the balls plowed in it. The plain was fairly 
alive with balls. I brou^^ht up the regiment, under 
a galling Are, just in time to see the skirmish line 
slowly retiring on our main line. We collected 
our little force in rear of our works, and waited for 
the attack which was soon made. One line of 
battle came out of the woods, followed by another, 
and another, until four lines were in plain sight, 
each one greater in number than all our force. 
Presently a light eight gun battery came out and 
opened with shell and canister. Our troops 
commenced firing, and the rebels advanced with 
flying colors at a charge of bayonets. 



An Escape. 

Seeing a break in our lines, I galloped oft' to 
learn the cause, and found that a certain reoriment 
had disappeared. I was returning to the general 
with the intelligence, when I saw a large number 
of rebels on the hill where I had just left him. I 
thought it singular that we had captured so many 
prisoners in so brief a time. As I approached 
them, I noticed that the prisoners had guns in their 
hands, and did not see any of our own men among 



96 Personal Experiences in the 

them. But by the time I was within fifty yards of 
them I apprehended the fact, that in my absence 
from one part of the line, it had been broken, and 
before I could get to another, it too had gone, 
leaving me in an independent situation. These 
prisoners were a line of battle, and discovered me 
about the time I discovered them. I turned my 
horse's head toward the 5th corps, as my way to 
the rear direct was cut off", and, as I turned, I sin- 
cerely think there were one hundred shots fired at 
me. My ears were fairly singed by the close firing. 
The fleetness of my horse and the inaccuracy of 
the rebel aim saved me from capture or death. 
After a long ride I came out in the 5th corps, and 
soon discovered my brigade, and found out that I 
had been given up as lost. 

The whole army were on hills in rear, and saw 
the battle, though it occurred so suddenly that they 
could not assist us. The brigade had been over- 
powered, and our retreat was justifiable. General 
Lee in his report of the affair admits a loss of one 
hundred and sixty-one, while ours was ninety-eight 
killed and wounded. I was on the line all the 
time the firing was going on, but in my capacity 
of aid-de-camp, I had to ride to all points necessary 
to be attended to, and just as I left one part that 
broke, and before reaching the other that broke 



War of the Great Rebellion. 97 

likewise, leaving me out entirely. The brigade was 
very much shattered, but by night was collected, and, 
moving in rearof the division, was permitted to sleep. 
During the night the rebels evacuated the hill, and 
the division moved up without opposition. General 
Lee had learned all he wanted to know, and there- 
fore ordered his troops to retire. 

On the morning of the 15th we moved up on the 
hill and joined the division. The day was passed 
very quietly, an exception to the two previous weeks. 
Until this day I had no idea of our losses. The 
division was beginning to look greatly altered, 
having their men as aids, as colonels, and as other 
officers. The new aids-de-camp were not of the 
best material, and therefore the old circle of staff 
officers was rather limited. Our brigade was 
dreadfully decimated. We had lost thirteen hun- 
dred men and forty officers, among the latter many 
of my best associates. Lieutenant Gordon, of the 
95th was appointed aid with me, and I began to 
think whether I v/ould outlast him. After remain- 
ing on Bleak hill for a day or two, we were ordered 
to be in readiness to charge with the 2d corps, and 
moved to the right of the army line for that pur- 
pose ; but for some unknown reason we did not 
make the charge, and returned to our former 
position on the hill. 

13 



98 Personal Experiences in the 

On the 17th, the 2d Connecticut heavy artillery 
joined the corps, and General Wright assigned the 
regiment to our brigade. This immense regiment 
numbered nineteen hundred men for duty, com- 
manded by Colonel Kellogg, an able oiBcer. With 
this reinforcement our strength was twenty-four 
hundred men, at that time a very respectable 
brigade. One night, just as we were lying down 
to sleep, the sound of distant rattle of musketry 
came to our ears, and grew into a prolonged roar. 
We were puzzled to find out the direction it came 
from. The noise was not from the right quarter 
to satisfy us that it was altogether legitimate fight- 
ing ; it was too much to our right and rear to 
make us feel eas3^ At 11 p. m., a stafl:' oflicer rode 
"up to our headquarters with orders for us to 
accompany the division where the firing was. In 
a few minutes the brigade was under arms and on 
the march. As we moved the firing grew more 
and more distinct until day-break, when it ceased. 
Upon our reaching the spot, we found that Ewell's 
corps had made a forced march of twenty-five miles 
to get in our rear, and there attack us, and at the 
same time to capture our wagon train, which was 
"parked" in that vicinity. But the gallantry of 
General Tyler's division of heavy artillery steadily 
repulsed the enemy after a night's desperate fight- 



"War of the Gheat Rebellion. 99 

ing. As I rode over the field I was grateful that 
General Tyler had succeeded without our assist- 
ance. The dead and wounded in the woods, and 
articles of every description pertaining to soldiers 
strewn about, plainly showed how desperate the 
conflict had been. 



March to tiik Pamunkev. 

The time from the 18th to the 20th was passed 
in marching and skirmishing until we reached a 
place twenty-five miles from the Pamunkey river. 
After a few hours rest we resumed our course, and 
made a forced march of twenty-five miles, reaching 
the river in the afternoon of the 27th, and crossing 
in rear of Sheridan's cavalry encamped on the 
banks of the river. One day was taken to recupe- 
rate the corps, and then we made a movement for- 
ward, and strongly entrenched ourselves. The 
other corps were performing their respective duties 
in this one of the flank movements of General 
Grant. On the 30th, towards evening, the division 
was ordered on the road to Hanover Court House, 
and we reached the Court House after considerable 
skirmishing; and then after going twenty-four 
hours deprived of food, we returned without, to 



100 Personal Experiences in the 

our knowledge, accomplisliing any thing whatever. 
On our return Mr. Mosby was very polite in his 
way. Our cook was on the road to meet us with a 
cold dinner, when this ranger met him, and relieved 
him of dinner and every thing else. We rejoined 
the corps on the 1st, and moved within fourteen 
miles of Richmond. We then formed lines of 
defense, and remained all night in line of battle, 
expecting to attack the enemy at ten a. m. in the 
morning of the 1st of June ; but as the rebel works 
were too strong, an assault was not deemed practica- 
ble, and therefore General Wright ordered the 
position to be abandoned. This was done upon 
the representation of Generals Upton and Russell. 



Battle of Cold Harbor. 

On the 1st of June, the 6th corps moved to Cold 
Harbor, eight miles from Richmond, and there 
found the enemy under Beauregard strongly 
entrenched. In front of their works, was a plain 
of nearly seven hundred yards in w4dth, over 
which their guns had full sway. As soon as the 
rebel position was fully known, the decision was 
made to charge them. The whole corps was 
formed in three lines of battle ; our brigade 



"Wah of the Great Rebelliojj. 101 

was put in the first line, the 18th corps from the 
peninsula, General Smith, was on the right, and 
the rest of the army was acting partially on the 
defensive; our batteries were brought on the plain, 
and opened on the rebel works with a scathing 
fire ; the enemy replied with their usual vigor, and 
again there were stirring times. The situation 
was as dubious a one as I evei- saw ; to charge 
across a plain exposed to the fire of twenty thou- 
sand rifles, and any number of batteries, seemed 
almost madness. We were to charge at six o'clock, 
and the signal was to be the cessation of the 
firing of our batteries. I was standing talking 
with Gordon, when a fragment of a shell, that 
burst very close to us, struck him on the shoulder; 
he jumped up and I caught him. Most wonder- 
fully the shell had not injured him, and he 
remained with us. At six o'clock our guns ceased 
firing, and we advanced. The enemy opened fire 
instantly, and our men at a "charge bayonets," did 
as they had many times before done, rushed across 
the field up to the muzzles of the rebel guns, and 
carried their works, driving the rebels back to 
their second line, two hundred and fifty yards in 
the rear of the first. But there they rallied, and 
successfully held their position. During the night 
the enemy made frequent attempts to drive us out 



102 Personal Experiences in the 

of the captured work, but each time were bloodily 
repulsed. 

On the morning of the 2d, we discovered 
our true situation. During the charge on the 
previous day we lost four hundred and eighty men 
out of our brigade. Colonel Kellogg of the 2d 
artillery was killed ; the conduct of that regiment 
in this, its first battle, was splendid, and did great 
credit to their state. All day there was steady 
firing, and the two armies, being within two 
hundred and fifty yards of each other; the result 
of the firing was most deadly ; each man had a 
hole or tree for protection. About noon the 
general rode off somewhere, and Captain Sanborn 
went with him. Gordon was also away, and I was 
alone at headquarters. An orderly came to me 
with an order from General Wright, that the division 
would charge at five p. m. on that day. I read the 
order with an amazement. What could General 
Wright mean by murdering our men in that 
manner? Between our line and that of the rebels 
was an impassable swamp, an attempt to cross 
which had never entered our minds. General 
Wright evidently had not been to the front lately, 
and was ignorant of the situation of the laud. I 
despatched an orderly with a note to General 
Upton, and then mounted my horse, and rode to 



War of the Great Eebellion. 103 

division headquarters, and asked General Russell 
if he knew the nature of the ground in our 
brigade front. He said yes, and was going to 
General Wright and have the order countermanded. 
By great urging the corps commander was induced 
to come to the front, long enough to see the 
ground; and when he paw eighty dead, black, 
bloated bodies of the 2d Connecticut lyiug about 
he concluded to defer the assault until four 
A. M. of the next day. Though General Wright had 
countermanded the order he did not improve on it 
much, by only deferring it until the next morning. 
It certainly seemed pleasanter to be killed in a 
delightful afternoon, than on a dark morning 
before breakfast. At midnight, however, we re- 
ceived an order again countermanding the assault. 
The day was passed in continual tiring. We 
were losing a great many men by chance shots, 
and the effect was demoralizing on the troops. 
Every one, private and ofhcer, laid low, regardless 
of appearances. At seven o'clock p. m., on the 
4th, the whole rebel line in our front rose up 
in their pits, and commenced a most furious fire. 
Our men returned this fusilade, and for half 
an hour tliei'C was nothing to be heard but 
the steady roll of musketry, and zip of the balls as 
they flew over our heads. After the affair was 



104 Personal Experiences in the 

over I could not learu of a single man on our side 
that was injured, and I think the rebels fared 
equally as well. • The two following days and 
nights were passed in the same way. The other 
corps in the meantime having some desperate 
battles which resulted in our favor. 

Our postmaster was a man who found by sad 
experience at the battle of Bull Run, that fighting 
was not his forte, and therefore applied for and 
received the appointment of postmaster in our 
brigade. One night at Cold Harbor, while taking 
the letters out of the bag, he came across one for 
me, and when in the act of handing it to me, 
about five thousand balls and shells came crashing 
through the trees, he, without ceremony, turned 
and left, taking my letter with him, and leaving 
me his hat, which, in his hurry to stand from 
under, jumped ofi' his head, and was not claimed 
by him for forty-eight hours afterward. 



Burying the Dead. 

On the 7th, Generals Grant and Lee agreed to a 
cessation of hostilities for two hours, for the 
purpose of burying the dead, lying between the 
lines. There were several hundred bodies which 



■War of the Great Rebellion. 105 

Lad been exposed to the hot sun for six days, and 
were in such a state of decomposition, that both 
sides suftered greatly from the odor arising from 
them. As the burial parties were engaged in tliis 
sad duty, both armies stood on their respective 
Avorks, and commenced shaking their blankets, 
the first opportunity they had had for a week to 
perform any job of this kind, for rebel balls and 
our balls had kept both sides down rather low. 
Clouds of dust arose from the plain by this needed 
operation of putting things in order. Here were two 
hostile armies within two hundred yards of each 
other, under certain laws of war, just as harmless 
as lambs, and could be, in one moment, under 
other rules, destructive as devils. At six, pre- 
cisely, a battery thundered forth a signal for 
hostilities to be resumed. Like magic the two 
corps disappeared behind their works, and renewed 
the scathins: fire. 



Sneaking Up and Grubbing Under. 

The daring of some of the men is worthy of 

mention, and especially of one Yankee in the 2d 

Connecticut, who, under cover of darkness, crawled 

up to the rebel pit, and pulled otf the streamer of 

14 



106 Personal Experiences in the 

a battle flag, and returned in safety with his trophy. 
The colonel of the regiment was in our tent as 
the man went past, and asked him how he got it, 
and he expressed himself as follows : "I seed this 
thing hanging over the reb's pit, so I kind o' 
sneaked up, grubbed under and snatched it bald- 
headed, and dug for home." The colonel, in 
presence of Upton, thinking to be very military, 
said to the venturesome fellow with a frown, d — n 
it sir, say advance, say advance, not sneak. The 
general thought the man's description was in keep- 
ing with his mode of capture. 



Sickness and Kindness. 

Exposure, hardships and the lire I had been 
subjected to, were having, a detrimental effect upon 
me, and bringing me down to light marching 
order, though fortunately I never grew dispirited. 
I forced up all my hilarious feelings, and drove off 
fear, and for a long time kept up without showing 
any signs of succumbing. On the night of the 
10th of June, the corps was ordered to cross the 
Chickahominy, by making a long detour to the 
right and rear. That night I v/as unable to sit on 
my horse, and the general ordered up an ambu- 



War of the Great Rebellion. 107 

lanee for me, and at dark we withdrew to 
make another flank attack. The army left Cold 
Harbor with fifteen thousand men less than when 
it went there. At day-break we were a few miles 
from the James river, and there formed line of 
battle, and built fortifications. Here we remained 
until Wednesday the 15th, and then moved down 
to Wilcox landing. There we received orders to 
join General Butler at Bermuda Hundreds, and 
at dark our headquarters moved on board the 
steamer Thomas Powell, which I had often seen 
on the Hudson. That was the first refreshing 
night we had passed since the 4th of May, and 
was improved by all in soundly sleeping. At day- 
light the rough reveille awoke us, and the debarka- 
tion commenced. When all the troops were on 
land the line of march was begun for Point of 
Rocks, where we remained all day. I had done all 
in my power to combat the insidious disease that 
was rapidly gaining a firm hold upon me, but in 
vain, to a great extent, and therefore was beginning 
to feel greatly reduced in strength, and unable to 
continue the arduous duties of a staif officer in 
this terrible campaign. One night while at Point 
of Rocks, as we were all sleeping under the trees, 
an order came for the brigade to move out a short 
distance, and in connection with General Ames 



108 Personal Experiences in the 

charge the enemy at twelve o'clock. The order 
came from General Butler, and was quickly 
obe^^ed. All the staff was called up but me. I 
was not awakened. Silently the general covered 
me with his robe, and he and his staff rode off 
on their fearful errand, leaving one man with 
me as a guard wdiile I slept. A little after mid- 
night I awoke, and found myself a Robinson 
Crusoe style of soldier, and saw the guard sitting 
on a stump polishing "Old Jane" as he called 
his musket. 

My destitution of companions was explained 
by him. l^ever shall I forget the kindness of 
General Upton to me, on that and many other 
occasions. At day-break the brigade returned 
after a night passed standing, waiting for the order 
to charge ; but in its stead came one from the 
lieutenant general, countermanding the order, and 
returning all the troops to their camp. 

In a few days we left Point of Rocks and went 
to Petersburgh, and were in severe skirmishing all 
one day until late at night. For several days we 
w^ere under heavy shell firing, and suffered to a 
great extent. I was now in a state too weak to 
be of further use on the staff. The army had 
reached its destination, and would probably remain 
at Petersburgh until the surrender of the city, and 



War of the Geeat Rebellion. 109 

therefore would have no farther very active staff 
duty. Dr. Kelley, the surgeon of the division, after 
an examination, certified, that I must leave the 
array for a time, or the consequences would either 
be fatal, or lead to evil results for life ; whereupon 
General Wright gave me an order to report to 
Washington for medical treatment. Reluctantly I 
bid my friends good-bye, and for a few minutes 
my spirits were never more depressed than in 
being separated from my old associates in danger. 
After a ride in an ambulance of fifteen miles over 
a rough road with heat at 99°, I reached the 
army train on the banks of the James, and there 
stopped to remain all night, with my friend Captain 
Daniels, who received me with open arms. The 
warmth of his reception and the cool quiet place 
his tent was in, made me hope I would recover 
there ; but the feeling soon wore off, and I was 
anxious to be in Washington, I went to City 
Point and there took the steamer for Washington. 
As we steamed up the river, I sat on deck think- 
ing how fortunate I was to be one of the survivors 
of the old army of the Potomac, that had left tens 
of thousands of its soldiers between the Rapidan 
and the James. After remaining a few hours at 
Fortress Monroe, I sailed to Washington, and 
arrived there on the 22d, at noon, totally used up. 



110 Personal Experiences in the 

Taking a carriage I drove to Willard's, and 
immediately went to bed. 



A Eed Headed Surgeon. 

A red headed army snrgeon came to see me, 
and, after much expostulation and entreaty on my 
part, permitted me to remain in the hotel, instead 
of going to some dirty hospitaL lie left powders 
and pills, and foolishly I took them all, ate just as 
I was directed, and at the end of five days was 
nearer dying than ever before. A contract 
surgeon's conscience is as bare as a rebel treasury 
shelf, and on the sixth day the doctor told me I must 
go to Annapolis and stay there until I got well. I 
listened to the little man in amazement. Would 
the United States government force an officer living 
at a hotel at his own expense, and trying to cure 
himself of a disease contracted in the line of his 
duty, to go to a hospital, a depot of pestilence? I 
remonstrated with my medical frioid : I told him 
I could get well in two weeks if left where I was; 
but all in vain, till finally I requested him to give 
me convalescent papers, and I would return to my 
command, where at least I would find friends. 
This he was induced to do, and accordingly on the 



"War of the Great Kebellion. Ill 

28th of June I was ou the Potomac, on the way 
back to the corps. As the ambulance stopped in 
front of our headquarters every one was surprised 
to see me, though not many questions were asked, 
for my sunken cheeks told their own story. 
However, I informed them that I returned at 
my own request. 

That night the corps was ordered to Reams 
station, to assist the cavalry of General Wilson 
out of a predicament they had fallen into. Once 
more in the saddle, surrounded by old friends, and 
helped by a little "Dutch courage," I had 
strength enough to last till we returned, but then 
had a speedy and severe relapse. 



Movement Threatening Washington. 

General Lee had sent Earlj north to make a 
demonstration on Washington. Two of the three 
divisions of our corps, the second and third, had 
followed to intercept hinl, and at last our division, 
the first, was ordered direct to Washington. We 
found the people of the city in great consternation, 
but they breathed freer and deeper, when the 
veterans of our division marched across Pennsyl- 
vania avenue, up the Seventh street road to Fort 



112 Personal Experiences in the 

Stevens. Early, with thirty thousand men, as was 
supposed, was within a few hundred yards of the 
defenses of the city. Our 1st and 2d division 
eno:a2:ed and drove back his skirmish line, and 
he, well aware of the character of the foe before 
him, wisely retreated during the night, and in the 
morning we followed for two days without over- 
taking him. 

My strength and health now wholly failed, and 
on a second order from General Wright, I went 
to AVashiugton, and thence to New York. Arriv- 
ing there in the dog days, I found every one of 
my friends out of town, so I took the boat on the 
Hudson, and the next forenoon was in my old 
home. ' 



Cherry Valley in Summer. 

Cherry Valley was delightful. The season was 
unusually gay and pleasant. The town was full of 
elegant and fashionable people; and rides, drives, 
balls, parties, morning and evening concerts, pic- 
nics, dinner parties and lake parties were 
incessant and charming. I was every moment 
impressed by the immense contrast aflbrded by 
such a state of society as this, and by the lovely 



"War of the Great Rebellion. 113 

and thrifty country arouucl, to the war stricken 
and beggarly towns and country of Virginia, 
which had been so familiar to my eyes. When I 
remembered some of the F. F. V.'s whom I had 
seen at their homes, almost in rags, and then 
looked at the photographic views of groups of 
some of our F. F.'s taken that summer, showing 
what kind of rags they were clothed in, the 
boasted superiority of the chivalric races of the 
South, was far from being apparent to my youthful 
understanding. There were no traces of war here, 
save in the patriotic enthusiasm of the people ; and 
when I remembered, in contrast, the ruin, desola- 
tion, and woe, which I had everywhere seen on the 
sacred soil of the South, I realized how the 
guilty were being punished, how severely the devil 
was treating his own. 



General Upton Wounded, and Change of Plans. 

I staid at home part of the month of July, and 
the whole of August, and having greatly improved 
in health, was on the point of starting for the 
army, and had gone to New York on my way 
thither, when I heard of the battle of Winchester, 

won through the skill and heroism of General 
15 



Hi Personal Experiences in the 

Upton, and learned from him that he was wounded, 
and that he would be at his home in Batavia, in a 
few w^eeks. He wrote that he was entitled to an 
aid while on leave, and that I might join him 
when and where I pleased. 

The battle of Winchester was the only one 
the 6th corps had been engaged for two years, in 
which I had not been a participator, and I 
regretted that I was not there to witness the con- 
duct of General Upton, who on that day won 
praise and unsolicited promotion, soon after the 
battle receiving the appointment of brevet major 
general. When he was at his home, I went to 
Batavia, and after making a short visit there, we 
went to Niagara Falls, and then I returned home. 
Early in November the general made me a short 
visit at Cherry Valle}', and then went to New 
York. I followed him in a day or two, and from 
there we went to Washington. Upon application 
to the war department, orders were given him to 
report to Major General James Wilson, command- 
ing " Cavalry of the military division of the 
Mississippi," at Nashville, Tennessee, for the 
purpose of taking command of one of the divisions 
of that corps. The order mentioned that he would 
report as soon as his wound would enable him to 
resume active duty. We went up the Shenandoah 



War of the Great Rebellion. 115 

valley to see our old friends, and bid them good- 
bye ; going first to Harper's Ferry, and thence to 
the encampment of the 6th corps. The corps 
during the summer and fall campaigns had lost 
nineteen thousand men, and was to me greatly 
changed in every aspect. After remaining in the 
valley a few days, and saying farewell to our 
friends in the army of the Potomac, we went to 
Winchester, intending to start from there on our 
journey westward. But the general's wound had 
again broken open, and was proving so trouble- 
some that he was unable immediately to resume 
duty, and therefore we concluded to make a short 
visit to some of our old army friends in the coal 
regions of Pennsylvania. After inspecting the 
wonders of those parts, we separated, with the 
arrangement that I was to join him in Kashville, 
in ten days. I visited Cherry Valley for a few 
days, and then went directly west, and on my way 
received a telegram to report at Louisville, and not 
at Nashville. 



Perils on the way to Louisville. 

From Rochester to Cleveland I had the care of 
a young lady to the latter place, and though we 
both fell asleep, neither of us complained of the 



116 Personal Experiences in the 

tedium of the trip. Upon our arrival at Cleveland 
the young lady's friends met her, and I stepped on 
the night train for Cincinnati. 

After jolting all night, we stopped at Xenia, a 
few miles from Cincinnati, and immediately the 
car that I was in was filled with school girls on 
their v^^ay home. The car had but few people in 
it, and was forthwith flooded with these bread and 
butter misses. In less than two minutes I was 
surrounded, and the only part of me visible was 
my hat, sticking above all this crinoline. I was 
the only representative of the male persuasion in 
the cars, and my natural modesty and difl5.dence 
had a sore test. The seat in front of me was 
turned over facing me, and two girls took posses- 
sion of that, and another sat down in my seat by 
my side. Band boxes, hat boxes and bonnets were 
pitched about, perfectly regardless of consequences. 
I wished I had stayed in the army of the Potomac, 
or had come the day before or after. They only 
went a few miles, and, bidding me good morning, 
left. I managed to collect my faculties before 
we reached Cincinnati. I remained over Sunday in 
that city, and then went to Louisville, and stopped 
at the Gait House. 



War of the Great Rebellion. 117 

At Louisville, Kentucky. 

I iuquired for the general at the office of the 
hotel, and learned that he had gone to Memphis, to 
be absent ten days. I therefore had nothing to do 
but find amusement for the next week, and 
contained myself with as much patience as 
possible. I then learned from him that our 
division was to be the 4th, and be organized in. 
Louisville, and that our headquarters Avould be at 
the Gait House, all which was very satisfactory to 
me. 

Promotion. Visit Nashville. 

In January 1865, I received a commission as 
captain as a 'New Year's present. The general 
wrote to the secretary of war, telling that honor- 
able personage of ray operations during the war, 
and requested permission for me to be mustered 
as captain, and remain on duty with him as 
aid- de-camp. In reply, permission was given. I 
had but little to do while at Louisville for a while. 
Most of our troops had not yet arrived, and until 
they came there would not be any very urgent 
business. One night Upton told me that he 
desired me to go to Nashville the next day, to 



118 Personal Experiences in the 

consult the adjutant general of the cavalrj on 
business connected with the division. The next 
morning at day-bi-eak, I went to the Nashville 
depot, and entered the cars and seated myself, i 
had heard a great deal of the noted guerillas Sue 
Mundy, Champ Ferguson, Dick Taylor and the 
like, and of their barbarities on this road, and 
thought that now I had a good chance of meeting 
these gentlemen of the pad, though I did not 
hanker for the pleasure. The train moved out, 
and we went very well, so well, that the energetic 
engineer gained twenty minutes in forty miles. 
When we reached Elizabethtown, forty-two miles 
from Louisville, we were just twenty minutes ahead 
of time. This probably saved our lives ; as we 
learned by telegram on reaching Bowling G-reen on 
the Tennessee line, that Dick Taylor entered Eliza- 
bethtown, just as our train was moving out, in- 
tending to capture the train and its inmates. As 
a general thing this bloody villain killed all the 
United States soldiers, who were unfortunate 
enough to fall in his hands. He was on time and 
our train ahead, I think for the first and last time. 
I reached Nashville at 9 p. m. The first thing I 
saw was a street fight. I did not mix in, but went 
direct to corps head quarters and transacted my 
business that night, and was ready to leave the 



War of the Great Rebellion. 119 

city at day-break the next day. I declined an 
invitation from Colonel Beaumont, to stay all 
night with him, and returned to the St. Cloud 
which although the best hotel in the city, was a 
very dirty, ill kept house. At day-break I was up 
and returned to Louisville, without further trouble, 
reaching my hotel late at night, and reported my 
business to the general. 



Burning of the Galt House. 

As I was much fatigued on the night of ray 
return from Nashville, I retired soon after I 
reached the hotel. About one o'clock at night, I 
was awakened by a singular noise, and perceived 
that the room was flooded with a bright light, and 
full of smoke. I sprang from bed, and looked 
out of the window, which opened on the court, 
and then discovered that the whole side of the 
hotel was in flames. My first thought was for the 
general who was unable to help himself, on 
account of his wound. I therefore rushed down 
to his room, and saw that his servant had taken 
care of him. I ran back to my room, but found 
that, from the smoke and heat, I could not stay 
there long enough to pack up auy thing, and left, 



120 Personal Expeiuences in the 

thankful that I was able to escape with my life. 
As I went out of my door I saw that the hall Avas on 
fire, and then made quick time for the lower part 
of the house. When I reached the lower hall, what 
a sight met my eyes ! Knowing every thing I 
had was burned, I determined to assist others as 
much as possible, and especially the weaker sex. 
There were more than four hundred and fifty 
guests in the house, and over half females. When 
the fire broke out the ladies did not stop for 
appearances; forms in white flitted about; all 
manner of millinery work was lavishly displayed ; 
figures were seen in garments well adapted for 
flying ; a ballet dancer would have considered 
herself rich in costume compared with that demo- 
ralized crowd of tea drinkers. Down stairs pell 
mell, went men, women and children, treading 
and falling over each other, till at last they all 
reached the first floor, and escaped the flames; all 
but two men who lost their lives, the hall in front 
of their rooms being consumed before they were 
aroused. The hotel was soon untenable in every 
part, and the suftbcating and stifling coal smoke 
rushed so quickly through the halls, that but little 
could be saved even in those quarters most remote 
from the fire. 

This was the second time, since I had been in 



War of the Great Rebellion. 121 

the army, that I had lost every article of elothiuir 
save what was on my back. The general and I 
forthwith went to the Louisville hotel, and l)}^ 
morning were comfortablj^ settled. The next day 
I drew for money, and repaired damages. 

After remaining in Jjouisvillc about six weeks, 
our division was organized and ready for the field. 
General Allen, chief quartermaster, had steamers 
ready to take us to Eastport, Mississippi, where the 
corps was rendezvoused. A few days before we 
left. General Sweeny (of late Fenian fame) gave 
a dinner to which General Upton and I were 
invited. There were several generals present, and 
one colonel old enough to be a general. I was a 
minor, but once in a while put in my opinion, and 
when I did not, took a drink. After a stupid dinner 
for me, we left the table for other engagements. 



Organization and Destination or the J^^xi'kdition. 

On the 3d of February, 1865, the 4th division 
headquarters moved on board the United States 
steamer Tarascon, to sail down the Ohio and up 
the Tennessee rivers to Eastport, Mississippi. The 
division had preceded us several days. The dis- 
tance to our [toint of destination was about nine 
16 



122 Personal Experiences in the 

hundred miles, wliich, after eight days of plowing 
through ice, and being fired at by guerillas, we 
reached in safety, and moved our division to 
Gravelly Springs, on the other side of the river in 
Alabama. Our headquarters were established, and 
once more we were back in our old familiar life. 
Our staff, with one humble exception, was com- 
posed of good soldiers, men of ability, intelligence 
and good humor. They were gentlemen, and 
bound together by ties of mutual respect and 
friendship. It was constituted as follows, twelve 
in number: Brevet Major James Latta, assistant 
adjutant general; Captain Francis W. Morse, 
aid-de-camp ; Captain Thomas Gilpin, aid-de- 
camp ; Major Robert Williams, assistant inspector 
general; Captain James Simpson, assistant quarter- 
master; Doctor D. W. Green, surgeon-in-chief; 
Captain De Grasse, provost marshal ; Captain 
Thomas Brown, assistant commissary of sub- 
sistence ; Lieutenant Leech, ordnance officer; 
Lieutenant Keck, ambulance oflicer ; Captain 
Rogers, chief of escort. 

Major Latta was from Philadelphia, and a better 
companion in hardship or pleasure could not be 
found. Gilpin, my associate aid, was the very 
man I wanted, full of wit, quick and energetic. I 
doubt if twelve men could be collected who suited 



Wae of the Great Rebellion. 123 

each other better. General Upton was our model 
of a soldier; few men equaled him in talent 
and braver}', and fewer still in kindness and 
softness of disposition and manner. 

The whole cavalry corps, under command of 
Major General Wilson, numbered about sixty 
thousand men. It was divided into seven divisions, 
of which three divisions, the 1st, 2d and 4th, were 
in this expedition, and were accompanied by 
General Wilson in person. The 1st division was 
commanded by Brigadier General Edward McCook, 
the 2d by Brigadier General Eli Long, and the 4th by 
Brevet Major General Emory Upton. These three 
divisions numbered about eighteen thousand men for 
duty. Our division, the fourth, contained five thou- 
sand men for duty, and one battery; it was divided 
into two brigades, the iirst commanded by Brigadier 
General Win slow, and the second by Brigadier 
General Alexander; and the battery was com- 
manded by Lieutenant Rodney of the 4tli U. S. 
artillery. Brevet Major General Wilson, the 
commander of the corps, and of this expedition, 
was a young man in whom Lieutenant General 
Grant deservedly reposed great confidence. 

We were in the wilds of Alabama ; immense 
forests stretched out on all sides, and it was a 
striking spectacle to see such a vast force collected 



124 Personal Experiences in the 

in so lonely and forsaken a place. Selma about 
two hundred miles south on the Alabama river, a 
city of great importance to the rebels, was our 
first objective point. Our intention in the cam- 
paign was to find the cavalry corps of the rebel 
General Forrest and destroy it totally and forever, 
to burn and destroy all rebel government property, 
foundries, mills, rail roads, crops, &c., and in that 
way deprive Generals Lee and Johnston of muni- 
tions of war and provisions. 

Every thing being carefully prepared, on the 
19th of March, 1865, we began our magnificent 
campaign. We were well equipped. The men 
were armed with the Spencer carbine, and it was 
estimated that, the whole expedition, the three 
divisions could fire over eighty thousand balls in a 
minute. Each one of our stafl" had three horses, 
and the escort of the stafiFwas composed of one 
hundred picked dragoons. Some idea of the magni- 
tude of our force can be conveyed to unmilitary 
minds by my stating that our division alone, when 
on the line of march, would cover a road equal in 
length to that from Cherry Valley to Lodi, over 
four miles. 

On the 19th our wagon train moved ahead fifteen 
miles with an escort, out on the Goodloe road. 
After it had gone the general sent me to see if 
all was right. I started with an escort, and found 



War of the Great Rebellion, 125 

Commissary Brown in a dilemma, having his 
own mixed up with some of General McCook's 
wagons. I gave him some orders on my own 
responsibility, that wonld extricate him, and 
returned to headquarters, and reported to the 
general Avhat I had done. On the evening of the 
19th the 2d brigade and the battery moved out on 
the road fifteen miles, and on the 20th the 1st 
brigade and the headquarters cut loose from all 
means of communication with the north. As the 
1st brigade moved across the river, cheers came 
to us from the fleet, and then the vessels turned 
their bows toward ISTashville, and we our faces 
toward the Gulf. Our division was to have the 
advance for the first two hundred miles, aud so we 
moved ahead of the rest of the corps. 



Campaign of the (Javalry Corps, Military Division 
OF Mississippi. March and April, 1865. 

The first day's march carried us thirty-four miles 
from our starting point. Our headquarters were 
in the house of Mr, Thompson, a wealthy planter. 
During the day we had moved along and destroyed 
all we could of the Memphis and Charleston rail 
road. At three a. m. the hoarse sound of the 
bugle aroused the sleeping troopers. Contrary to 



126 Personal Experiences in the 

our expectations none of us were very sore, and we 
congratulated each other, prematurely, as it after- 
wards appeared, upon our endurance. At the call, 
"boots and saddles," "to horse," we were in the 
saddles, and ready for thirty miles more. As w'e 
drew out I was surprised to see how^ long our 
division was, and thought w^e alone would be 
enough for Forrest, as was afterwards proved to be 
the fact. About noon I rode forward with the 
advance guard. There were signs of bush- 
whackers, and I was a little curious to see how 
those chaps looked in the west, but we saw none 
during the day. Towards evening, after a ride of 
thirty-two miles, our headquarters stopped for the 
night. The general left me at a cross roads to 
wait until General Alexander came up, to give 
him an order about his camps. I w^ent into a 
house where there was a white woman, and about 
twenty n egresses, more or less. I gave one of 
them a cigar, and the picture she made smoking it 
was very funny. Some of Alexander's advance 
went past, and she exchiimed with great earnest- 
ness, " O, de Lord, dare is two millions more 
Yankees." It was late before I was able to leave 
Alexander, and turning my horse's head I slowly 
rode to our headquarters. For twenty-five 
miles in our rear I could see the reflections of 



War of the Great Rebellion. 127 

the tliousands of camp fires of McCook and Long, 
the other two division commanders. At head- 
quarters I found all but the sentinel in a deep 
slumber, and wrapping my long coat about me, 
was soon at rest. As on the day previous we 
awoke at three a. m., and as we got up to dress, 
the motions each one went through were comical 
enough to make one forget his own troubles. 
Never had my legs and knees been so stiff. After 
a breakfast on heavy biscuits we moved out and 
commenced the day's march. In the afternoon 
the advance met some guerillas, and had just 
enough firing to make the march interesting, and 
after the day was passed and the night orders 
issued, w^e were only too ghid to lie down without 
dinner, and sleep through until the bugle would 
call us up. The first days of the march were 
tedious and void of excitement, though we were 
rapidly coming to a portion of the country where 
we would meet enemies, and where we expected 
to find valuable property belonging to the rebel 
government, which we intended totally to destroy. 
We had entered the great wilderness of northern 
Alabama, and for sixty miles rode on the crests of 
immense hills covered with pine woods. During 
the entire distance there were but two small creeks, 
the water in which was insufficient to satisfy the 



128 Personal Experiences in the 

wants of our men and horses. Deer started up in 
our path, and gazing on us with their brilliant 
eyes, lightly bounded away. On the evening after 
a wearisome march of forty miles, we arrived at 
the Mulberry fork of the Black Warrior river, 
and then the troops went into ,camp, and satisfied 
their craving for water. 

Crossing or the Mulberry. 

Upon our reaching the river the general and I 
rode along it, to see how the division would cross. 
On either side the banks were rugged and steep, 
the stream was deep and rapid, and the bed rough 
and uneven. At a place where there had been a 
ford we thought we might cross, but upon trial, I 
discovered that the current was too strong for a 
horse to breast successfully. Upton tried it with 
the same result. We went further up the stream, 
and there found a more practicable crossing. The 
general was determined to put the troops over, 
even if he had to do so by leaving the trains and 
artillery in the rear to await the subsequent build- 
ing of a bridge. We rode back to headquarters ; 
Latta had been down to the river, and concluded 
that the job had better be turned over to some other 
division. I told him what was intended to be 



War of the GrExVT Eebellion. 129 

done, and wo both agreed, the whole staff con- 
curring, that as we woukl certain!}^ be wet on the 
morrow, we had better take some "Pine top," in 
anticipation as a preventive to colds and rheuma- 
tism. Late at night leaving Green, who was an 
Irishman, expatiating on the Dublin medical 
college, we dropped asleep, and there remained 
until the unceremonious bugler sounded reveille. 
We then moved down to the river, and sent our 
escort on, who, after much difficult}^, nearly all of 
them being unhorsed, reached the other bank. 
Then the 1st regiment was ordered forward, and 
as the men approached the river, I suppose they 
thought Upton must be a second Moses, if he 
could take them across that water in safety. The 
first squadron dashed in, the second followed ; 
half the men slipped off their horses, and caught 
hold of their tails, the weight of the horses resist- 
ing the current, and this was the safest mode, if 
one did not mind the cold bath. Thus floundering 
and wading the division crossed in five hours, 
during which time maii}^ ludicrous incidents 
occurred. After all our dragoons were over, the 
trains and artillery w^ere ordered up. The can- 
noneers knowing the bed of the river, were able 
to carry a considerable portion of the ammunition 
over in their hands. Each gun was drawn in the 
17 



130 Personal Experiences in the 

river by six horses, and on making the opposite 
side, six more were hitched on and drew the gim 
and the other six out. The trains were carried in the 
same way, the ammunition boxes being put up on 
sticks high in the wagon. By four p. m. not a 
vestige of the 4th division was on the north side 
of the river. But for the energy, perseverance 
and labor of General Upton, I doubt if we had 
crossed in as many days as hours. When General 
Wilson came to the river and saw where Upton 
had crossed, he gave him the highest praise, and 
said if Upton crossed, he must, and thereupon did 
cross, though with more trouble than we encoun- 
tered. After we had moved a few miles our 
advance came to the Locust fork of the Warrior, 
a stream as large, but not so difficult to cross 
as the Mulberry. The same scene was acted 
as at the other river, and all passed over in safety. 
The march was becoming very wearisome. On 
the 28th of March we entered Elyton, one hundred 
and fifty miles from Eastport, and made our head- 
quarters with the Honorable Judge Mudd, con- 
federate member of congress, where we stayed all 
day, and then left our honorable friend in some- 
what straitened circumstances. Suddenly I was 
attacked by a violent high fever, and was con- 
sidered to be in a fair way to die ; but kind 



"War of the Great Rebellion. 131 

attention and cheerful spirits restored me, and I 
was in the saddle in a few days. While sick I 
rode in a carriage, politely taken from Mndd, and 
every mile thought of him as a benefactor. At 
Montevallo, skirmishing commenced with the 
advance of Roddy and Forrest, our skirmishers 
driving those of the enemy in first rate style, 
and forcing them hack on their main lines at 
riantersville. 



' Battle of Plantersville. 

Plantersville was sixteen miles from and on the 
direct road to Selma, and by meeting us at this 
point, the rebels in a measure defended that city. 
As our advance was cautiously pushing its way 
towards Plantersville, it continually met the skir- 
mishers of the eneni}^, until we were fairly upon 
the line of General Forrest. While quietly march- 
ing along, a shell came crashing over our heads, 
and soon we heard the sharp report of the carbines 
of our advance guard. The general and staft'rode 
rapidly in front, to see the situation, and discovered 
that the whole rebel cavalry corps was before us. 
Forrest's lines were formed on hills in a semicircle, 
and in secure positions. Rodney's battery was in 



132 Personal Experiences in the 

posiftOD, and doing its work well ; Winslow's 
brigade was dismounted, and fighting on foot witli 
the infantry of Forrest's command. Alexander's 
bugle rang ont " By squadron into line," "Charge," 
and his brigade made a most gallant charge, 
driving all before it. General Winslow did the 
same thing with the infantry, and in half an hour 
General Forrest was in full retreat for Selma. 
During the battle which was a very brisk affair, 
General Upton so deported himself that he won 
the respect and admiration of the troops under 
his command. Mr. Keek's horse w^as killed, and 
Captain Gilpin's coat-tail was pierced by four balls. 
ITone of the staft" were injured. General Wilson 
hearing the rapid heavy firing of the artillery in 
the fight hurried forward, and the day after the 
battle, the corps was concentrated, and moved as a 
corps upon Selma. 



Battle of Selma, Alabama. 

Sunday morning at day-light on the 2d of April, 
the corps was on the march ; skirmishing com- 
menced immediately as we advanced, and was 
steadily kept up all day, we having an advance 



"War of the Giieat Rebellion. 133 

sufficiently strong to drive all small bodies of the 
enemy before it. At 4 p. m., we were in sight of 
Selma. The city was defended by a complete line 
of powerful works forming a chain around its 
whole extent. The direction from which we came 
compelled us to pass over a plain, two miles 
in width, exposed to the enemy's artillery and 
musketry fire. In the town the church bells were 
tolling, and ministers in the streets exhorting the 
people to arm, and go out to the defenses, and 
each man to make it his ambition to kill a Yankee. 
At 6 p. M., our lines were formed for the charge, to 
take works manned by infantry, cavalry and 
fifty-six pieces of artillery. While General Long 
was forming his columns, he was forced to 
put out a strong skirmish line in rear to protect 
himself from the attack of bushwhackers and 
guerillas. Our division was placed on the right 
of the corps line, to charge mounted. At the 
order, the 2d division rushed like a whirlwind up 
to the works, and regardless of the destruction 
that was hurled through its ranks, jumped on the 
intrenchments, and half of Selma was won. 
The 4th division, led by Upton, in columns of 
squadrons, stormed the works in its front, and in 
half an hour after the attack was opened, Selma 
was in possession of the United States dragoons. 



134 Personal Experiences in the 

Some rebels tried to escape, but our division being 
mounted, captured nearly all. General Forrest, 
Avitli an escort, and one or two other generals only 
escaped by swimming the Alabama river. Our 
division was in every street in tlie city; nothing 
could escape the vigilance of our troops. Every 
outlet of the city was barred, and in two hours 
after our victory, there were three thousand rebel 
prisoners in the stockade, which had been intended 
for our men when captured. At 10 p. m., our 
head-quarters were in an elegant house, a Mr. 
Johnston being our entertainer, and by tw-elve 
we were in beds as comfortable as if nothing 
unusual had happened. 

The day after our occupation of Selma, we 
■walked out to see the place. Being easy of access 
to the south, it w\as a great depot of supplies, and 
a place where all munitions of w^ar w^ere made. 
It was the most important city in the southwest, 
and one of the most important in the whole south. 
Parks, handsome residences, and fine broad 
avenues gave it a verj aristocratic aspect. I 
learned that the three ministers, wlio were so 
anxious to have the Yankees killed, were all 
killed themselves. Blocks of six story buildings, 
filled with rebel government property, Avere set on 
fire by us, making for forty-eight hours a splendid, 



War of the Great Rebellion. 135 

yet fearful conflagration. This work of destruc- 
tion was complete. 

While in Selma our staff had little else to do but 
walk about the ruined city. One day, Captain 
Gilpin and I met some ladies, with whom we had 
formed an acquaintance. In the favor of the 
prettiest one of these, I had flattered myself that 
I was ahead of Gilpin, but he completely flanked 
me on this occasion. When we joined them, 
the lady said to Gilpin, " Why does Captain 
Morse wear black (staff) shoulder straps, while 
yours are j^ellow " (cavalry) ? " Oh," said Gilpin, 
"he commands a regiment of colored cavalry." 
That did the business for me with the Selma girls, 
thenceforth and forever. 

The wagon train had been left so far behind that 
we were afraid lest some of the escaped troops of 
Forrest would destroy it, and therefore Alex- 
ander's brigade was ordered back towards Planters- 
ville, to act as a guard. I went with Alexander, 
and, after a day's march of about twentj^-five 
miles, met the train all safe. Taking an escort 
from the general, I rode forward towards Selma, 
which place I wished to reach several hours in 
advance of the brigade. On my way I met three or 
four of the blackest darkies I ever saw ; with great 
delio-htthov exclaimed, "Here comes our brudders." 



186 Personal Experiences in the 

As I returned to the city the main arsenal had 
just been fired. It was a buikling of the larijest 
proportions, filled with all kinds of combustible 
materials, and made a fire truly fearful. A storm 
mingled its noise with that of the fire, and with 
both, Selma was a good representative of a warmer 
place. After a week passed in this city, every 
thing of importance in it was d^estroyed, and 
a great death blow of the rebellion in the south- 
west was struck by the United States. Arrange- 
ments were made to resume our march, and a 
pontoon bridge was laid across the Alabama river. 
The current being swift, and the bed of the river 
smooth, it was with difficulty that the bridge was 
kept together, as it was it was broken in several 
places while the troops were crossing, though no 
serious accident occurred. The trouble with the 
bridge so delayed tlie corps, that we were two 
days in reaching the opposite bank, but on the 10th 
of April the troops were in cam}) on the south side, 
waitino- orders to move. 



MaRCIF to MoNTdOMERV. 

Montgomery, the capital of the state, forty 
miles from Sclnia, was next to have the honor of 



War of the Great Rebellion. 137 

onr attentions. We expected a brisk encounter 
there, for though the pLice was of no great im- 
portance to us, its position was very advantageous 
for defense. We came in sight of the city at the 
end of the second day's march, and found that the 
advance had entered without opposition. The 
fortifications were too incomplete to warrant any 
attempt at defense, and therefore the rebels had 
evacuated the place, having first set fire to eighty 
thousand bales of cotton, which were burning as 
we entered the town, and having by other means, 
as they said, destroyed forty thousand more. We 
remained in Montgomery two days, and, of course, 
visited the capitol, where Jefferson Davis, and the 
so-called confederacy were inaugurated. Were it 
not that the place was so far from active war 
operations, it would have been the capital of the 
south, instead of Richmond. After fully recupera- 
ting the men and horses, we once more resumed 
the march. /,' 



Battle or Columbus, Georgia. 

Columbus, Georgia, is one hundred miles from 
Montgomery, on the south side of the Chattahoo- 
18 



138 Personal Experiences in the 

chee river. It was a place of nearly equal im- 
portance to Selma, and we felt assured that it would 
be desperately defended. At the rate of twenty-five 
miles a day, we would reach the city in four days. 
The marchiug was hot and tedious. Every few 
miles we would meet some portion of the enemy 
and a sliarp little skirmish would ensue. On the 
afternoon of the IGth of April, we heard rapid 
musketry firing in the direction of our advance, 
which was composed of a large regiment. We, 
the staff, all started on the full gallop, and after 
ten minutes' rapid riding came in sight of 
Columbus. One glance showed us it was well 
defended. The rebels had retained possession of 
Gerard, a suburb of the town, on our side of the 
river, and surrounded it b\' massive works well 
manned. It commanded and covered all the 
bridges, and must be taken before Ave could 
enter the city. As we came in sight of the enemy 
they opened on our little party a severe artillery 
fire. AVe were on a bare hill, in full view of the 
rebels, and for fifteen minutes we sat on our 
horses, taking our chances of being torn to pieces, 
while the general nnide observations of the works. 
AAvay to our left we saw a line of skirmishers 
coming out on the full run; the manner the}- 
acted convinced us that no troops but vetei'ans 



War of the Great Rebellion. 139 

could conduct themselves with so much regularity, 
under the circumstances. After the general had 
fully satisfied himself respecting the enemy's 
position, we withdrew and waited for the division, 
which was two miles back, to come up. Our 
advance was deployed as skirmishers, and held the 
enemy in check. An aid was sent back to hurry 
up the division, and in half an hour Alexander 
arrived, and his troops placed in line of battle on 
the hills, in front of the rebel left. "Winslow's 
brigade was moved to our left five miles, there to 
attack a part of the rebel works, which Upton 
considered to be the key of the whole. By an 
error of a staff" officer (not one of ours), Wins- 
low's brigade was not on the ground at the time 
ordered, so it was late before he was ready. His 
attack was to be made with his men dismounted. 
Alexander, with his brigade mounted, as soon as 
Winslow's commenced, was to charge and carry 
the works in his front, sweep in the rebel rear and 
secure the bridges, thereby cutting off" all escape. 
General Wilson arrived and approved of General 
Upton's arrangements, and said if he wanted any 
help he would order up the rest of the corps, but 
Upton thought the 4th division was sofficient to 
gain a victory over all the troops opposed to us. 



140 Personal Experiences in the 

At eight o'clock p. m., General Wiiislow reported 
himself ready for the attack ; we mounted our 
horses, part of the staff went with Alexander and 
the others Avith AVinslow and Upton. I went with 
the latter. As the bugle sounded "forward," our 
line advanced, and the enemy immediately com- 
menced tiring. We had to charge down a little 
hill, through a small valley and then up a slight 
hill to the works. The artillery tire of the enemy 
did great execution, and their musketry fire was 
very accurate ; but in spite of the savage reception 
our men met with, they could not be prevented from 
gaining the breast works, and driving the rebels out 
in the open field, where they surrendered at 
discretion. Alexander performed the part allotted 
to him, but not before two bridges had been tired ; 
but there were still three left, and as they were 
taken they answered our purpose. After all our 
prisoners were under strong guards, and the atfair 
was settled we sent three regiments across the 
river to Columbus, and placed the city under guard 
till morning. 

The general and I were alone; none of the staft' 
nor orderlies were to be found, being all busy in 
their dift'erent places. We thought we would go 
in a house and sleep until morning. Near the 
rifle pits was a large house up to which we rode. 



War of the Great Rebellion. 141 

I dismounted and gained admittance by kicking 
open the door. The place was deserted and I 
built a tire out of an old chair. The general 
remembered that he had seen a man in charge of 
the rebel General Buford's dinner, and I went for 
and captured the man and the dinner — both 
poor stuff. After dining we went to sleep. In the 
morning from the window I saw twelve hundred 
prisoners in a fort a few }'ards from the house. 
We rode across the bridge into the city and break- 
fasted at the hotel, and then I went out in search 
of a house for headquarters. We had captured 
thirty-live hundred prisoners, lifty pieces of artillery 
and large quantities of munitions of war. The 
commander of the rebel forces, General Howell 
Cobb, escaped and rode his horse ninety miles 
before he drew rein. There were more large 
buildings and more extensive magazines in Co- 
lumbus than in Selnia, though it was not so important 
a place. General Winslow was made military 
governor, and to him the duty of burning 
government property was assigned. Soon recurred 
horrible scenes of destruction ; blocks and blocks 
burning and falling, shells bursting, and powder 
exploding made day and night hideous. Whole 
streets were burned. The fire at Selma was small 
compared to this. The demolition of every thing 



142 Pek,sonal Experiences in the 

that could be of use to the rebels was complete, 
and in the destruction of Columbus and Selma, 
Generals Lee and Johnston were made to 
understand, that our expedition was not a mere 
raid, but that it alone was rapidly destroying the 
rcl)ellion in its very vitals. The time we remained 
in Columbus was spent in resting the troops. 
Four hundred miles of incessant riding had greatly 
debilitated men and animals ; but after some days 
when the weatlier had grown cooler, and when the 
glory of success had seemed to cover up the ragged 
clothes, orders for a move were issued. General 
Long's division took the lead and we the rear. 

March to Macon, and News of Pplvce. 

Macon, on the Ocraulgee, is one hundred miles 
from Columbus, All along on our way thither we 
found immense stores of provisions collected to be 
taken east for the rebel armies. We appropriated 
all we wanted for our own use, and destroyed the 
rest. 

As yet, we had heard notliing from our army in 
the east, and were anxious to learn how General 
Grant had succeeded in the battles which we knew 
must have taken jilace. While on liis way to 
Macon, and about twenty miles from there. General 



War of the Great Rebellion. 143 

Wilson received orders from General Sherman, 
forwarded by General Johnston through his lines, 
to cease raiding, and encamp his corps ; but Wilson, 
before reading the despatch, sent his advance on to 
Macon, to demand its surrender. It was surren- 
dered without a fight, and occupied by the 72d 
Indiana mounted infantry. During the day on 
which General Wilson received this order, the 
corps moved into the town. Our division was 
marched into East Macon, and there went in camp. 
Our headquarters were made in the house of a 
Mrs. Flanders. I did not cross the river with the 
staff, but came afterward, and on reaching the 
house saw our staff acting in the wildest kind of 
a way. Latta, especially, was performing the most 
athletic kind of tumbling. I enquired the cause of 
their joy, and learned that Lee had surrendered, 
and that the war was over. If General Grant has 
all the health we drank for him that night, there 
will not be a vacant lieutenant generalship by death 
for upwards of two hundred years. One of General 
Shei'man's staff had come through the rebel lines, 
and informed us of the happy news. Soon we 
received the order from the secretary of war to fire 
two hundred guns in honor of victory. Rodney's 
battery was placed in position on hills above the 
cit}', and fired the salute. We could scarcely be- 



144 Personal Experiences in the 

lieve that the war was over; the news liacl come so 
unexpectcdlN^ that we wore not prepared for the 
joyful tidings. Onr lieadquarters were moved up 
on a little hill overlooking East Macon. Macon is 
a city of eight or ten thousand inhabitants. It 
seemed to me, for the most part, a poor sort of 
place, with some good houses in it. It is essentially 
a representative southern town. 

Outside of the city were the stockades where our 
soldiers had been so barbarously treated, and thirty 
miles off was the world-renowned hell on earth, 
that hideons comment on the spirit of slavery-, 
Andersonville. While we were there one of 
Wilson's staff arrested Jeff". Davis's infamous and 
wretched tool, Captain Wirtz. 

After two weeks passed in Macon, we were glad 
when General Wilson ordered General Upton to 
Augusta to demand the surrender of that place. 



Atlanta and Augusta. 

My health for some time past had been failing, 
and now, as the war was over, I felt unable and 
unwilling to return witli the division live hundred 
miles to Nashville. [ went to General Wilson, and 
expressed to him my desire to leave the arnij-, and 



"VYar of the Great Rebellion. 145 

requested a leave of absence that I might improve 
the first opportunity to go north. He very kindly 
gave me a leave for thirty days, with permission to 
apply for an extension. Giving orders for the 
division to follow by easy stages, General Upton 
and I went to Atlanta by rail, and reached there 
late at night, after traveling all day, at the rate of 
six miles an hour. The appearance of this town, 
after General Sherman's abode there, baffles my 
powers of descriptiouo It stood as a warning of the 
swift ruin which must come on all who may 
attempt to destroy our government. We learned 
there that Jeft'. Davis was in the vicinity, and tele- 
graphed the fact to General Wilson. The great 
criminal was soon afterwards arrested by Colonel 
Pritchard of the 2d division. 

At midnight we took the cars for Augusta, about 
a hundred and fifty miles, and arrived there the 
next evening. Leaving our baggage at the hotel, 
we walked slowly uj) the streets, much to the 
disgust of the citizens, who had never seen 
Yankees there during the war, except as prisoners. 
Our escort, or guard of several hundred men, 
followed^ in command of their officers. At the 
Planter's Hotel, we engaged rooms and made 
arrangements to parole the troops of difl:erent rebel 

commands in that part of the country. The 
19 



146 Personal Experiences in the 

advent of a United States major general and staff, 
to demand the surrender of the phxce, and of the 
troops in the vicinity, created considerable excite- 
ment; but though every one looked their hatred, 
no one ventured to molest us. Up to this time, 
though we had heard rumors of the death of Mr. 
Lincoln, we had had no proof of the sad fiict, but 
here upon the arrival of General Mollineaux from 
Savannah, we received the order for mourning, and 
put crape on our arms. A detachment of our 
troops was sent up to Albany to parole the division 
of General Debbill, v/hich was composed of two 
brigades commanded by Generals Duke and 
Vaughn, These two latter generals came to 
Augusta and were paroled by us. General Duke 
afterwards went on to Kew York with me on his 
way home to Iventuck3\ 

At this time we caused to be posted bills offering 
a reward for the apprehension of Jeff'. Davis, and 
tliereby caused great indignatinn and impotent 
threats from his whipped and broken down 
followers. On Sunday evening we mounted our 
horses, and rode about to see the city, and then 
crossed the Savannah to stand and gaze upon the 
precious and sacred soil of South Carolina. The 
result of our observations of place and people was, 
that though Augusta is by nature one of the 



War of the Great Rebellion. 147 

loveliest places imaginable, we would rather be 
excused from dwelling long among such an ignorant, 
debased and hateful population as we met in the 
streets. A portion of General Mollineaux's brigade 
arrived from Savannah, and the city was placed 
under military control. As General Upton 
intended to return to Atlanta he gave the command 
of the place over to General Mollineaux. I made 
up my mind to go to Savannah and thence to New 
York. 

Left Alone. Voyage to Savannah. 

The general and staff left me, and when they 
said their kind and aftectionate farewell, and took 
the train to Atlanta, leaving me in the hotel to 
enjoy the society of about one hundred rebel 
officers, I felt rather disconsolate. I had to wait 
in Augusta five days before a steamer came up 
the river, and two or three before she was ready to 
return. At length the little boat, the Leesburg, 
was ready, and by order from General Mollineaux? 
I went on board before any others were permitted 
to go, and thereby secured proper accommodations. 
The boat was under the orders of a second lieuten- 
ant of the 19th corps, but as I was a staff captain, 
he was disposed to let me have a good deal to say 
in the management of affairs, and the responsibility 



148 Personal Experiences in the 

I was ready to assume, as we liacl a water captain 
to manage the boat. 

I had the only state room, and invited to share 
it with me a lieutenant of the guard, a Mr. Wright, 
a Captain Somebody, formerly of Stonewall Jack- 
son's staff, and old Commodore Tatiiall, once of 
the United States, and later of the rebel Musquito 
navy. On board were about forty paroled rebel 
officers, twenty of our own guard, and four tor- 
pedoes looking ugly enough to blow us to pieces. 

Alligators were sunning themselves all along the 
banks, but though constantly shot at, I saw only 
four killed. 

After a voyage of two days down this beautiful 
river, on the evening of the second day we came 
in sight of the fair city of Savannah, and as the 
little boat reached the wharf, a crowd collected to 
learn the news from the interior. Leaving the 
loquacious part of the passengers to narrate the 
stirrnig events that were transpiring in Georgia, 
Mr. Wright and I took rooms at the house of a 
friend of his in the town. 

Voyage to New York. 

I remained in this beautiful city five days, and 
then obtaining a pass from General Grover, went 



War of the Great Rebellion. 149 

by the little boat, IT. S. Grant, to Hilton Head, 
there to take an ocean steamer to ]!^ew York. 
The Arago, Captain Gladseu, was to sail the next 
day ; and, accordingly, in the morning all the 
passengers assembled on board. As we were on 
the deck, the small steamboat, Cathara Clyde, 
came past, having on board a precious cargo, in 
the person of Jefferson Davis, and as we weighed 
anchor and moved off, she, I mean the boat, 
followed in our wake. The state rooms were 
chosen by rank, and as there were only three or 
four colonels among the passengers, and I was one 
of the ranking captains, I had one of the best. I 
had many acquaintances on board, and my friend, 
Captain Baker, whom I had known when he was 
on General Franklin's staff, was made adjutant of 
the ship. I had been selected for that office by the 
old colonel in command, but on my assuring him 
that as soon as we were at sea I would be unfit for 
duty, he excused me from the service, and made 
Baker the unlucky ofiicial. This was my first 
venture on the mighty deep, but 1 took it for 
granted that sea-sickness was hereditary in my 
family, and soon found to my sorrow that I was 
not mistaken. By a strict diet of lemons and 
claret I managed to keep tolerably steady till off 
Cape Hatteras, and then became oblivious of all 



150 Peusonal Experiences in the War. 

things till we reached Fortress Monroe. Here we 
again saw Jell'. Davis, on tlie deck of liis little 
boat, waiting lor his casemate to be prepared for 
him. 

After coaling, we steamed on, and in twenty- 
four liours saw the beach of New Jersey, and 
late Saturday night on the twenty-third of May, 
1865, entered the harbor of Xew York. 

It only remains for me to add, to close the recital 
of my connection with civil war, I trust forever, 
that in July, 18G5, I was mustered out of the ser- 
vice, and that in August, 18G6, I was honored by 
his excellency, Governor Fenton, with the brevet 
rank which is inscribed on the title page. 



[151 ] 



INDEX. 



An Expedition of the 121st, 45. 

An Escape, 95. 

An Execution, 44. 

Appointed Adjutant, 10. 

Arrived at the Regiment, 8. 

Arrived at Falmouth, 7. 

A lled-headed Surgeon, 110. 

A Scare, 9. 

Atlanta and Augusta, 144. 

At Louisville, Kentucky, 117. 

Battle of Blealv Hill, 98. 

Battle of Cold Harbor, 100. 

Battle of Columbus, 137. 

Battle of Gettysburg, 80. 

Battle of Locust Grove, 59. 

Battle of Plantersville, 131. 

Battle of Kappahannock Sta- 
tion, 51. 

Battle of Salem Chapel and 
Chancellorsville, 22. 

Battle of Selma, 132. 

Battle of the Wilderness, 76. 

Black-burying, 77. 

Burning of the Gait House, 119. 

Burnside Believed, 17. 

Burnside's Move in the Mud, 14. 

Burying the Dead. 104. 

Campaign Abandoned, G3. 
Campaign of the Cavalry Corps, 

M. D. M., 125. 
Campaign of Chancellorsville, 

20. 



Campaign of Gettysburg, 30. 

Campaign of Mine Run, 57. 

Campaign of the Wilderness, 77. 

Camp in Summer, 43. 

Cherry Valley in Summer, 112. 

Commissioned, 5. 

Crossing the Mulberry, 128. 

Dismissed the Service, 11. 

Falmouth, 7. 

General Bartlett's Ball, 72. 

General Sedgwick killed, 83. 

General Grant Appears. 74. 

General Upton Wounded, and 
Change of Plans, 113. 

General Wright appointed com- 
mander of 6th Corps, 83. 

Guerillas, 44. 

Hooker made General in chief 
17. 

In Camp, May and June, 1863, 

27. 
Increased Carnage, 91. 

Ladies in the Army 71 ; ban- 
ished, 74. 
Left Alone, 147. 

Marching, 48. 

March to Macon, 142. 



152 



Index. 



]Marcb to Montgomery, loG. 
March to the raiminkey, 99. 
Jlovement threat ening Wash- 
iiigtou, 111. 

Nashville, 117. 

Orcanization of tlic Expedition, 

ilil. 
Our Dinner, GG. 

Perils on the way to Louisville, 

115. 
Preparations for the Campaign 

of the Wilderness, 75. 
Presentation to Gen. Meade, 

5G. 
Presents and Punch, G9. 
Promotion, 51, 117. 
Pursuit of Gen. Lee, -10. 



Rebel Trick detected, 90. 
Pvcstorcd to the Service, 13. 
Return to the Army, G8. 

Sickness and Kindness, lOG. 
Sneaking and Grubbing, 105. 
Spoltsylvania Court House, 88. 
Started for the War, 5. 

The Bloody Angle, 92. 
Third Crossing of the Rappa- 
hannock, 29. 

Upton's Brilliant Charge, 85, 

Voyage to New York, 148. 
Voyage to Savannah, 147. 

"Went Home, G7. 
Winter Quarters of 18G3 and 
18G4, G4. 



31;77-2/ 



